Meitheisman

It's like saying that a league season is boring.

I'd rather have the Champions League be as close as possible from a League where luck isn't as much of a factor as in Cups.

In a league you can lose several games and yet still prove to be the best team over an entire year.

Emperor J

Why stop at 2 group stages then? Why not a 3rd one where the winners play in the final?

Meitheisman

Too many games then and I still want the thrill of the KO stages, just not as early as you guys want it.

Mr Wallin

I think that both Rosenborg and Liverpool has disproved your point quite clearly this year.

The only group that has been predictably boring is the Arsenal and Sevilla group but that is because of it being 2 top sides v 2 minnows. And such a mismatch would only happened more often if you change the CL to include more of the minnows.

Richie P

They did do up until recently, and still do at times. E.g Rosenborg 2-0 Valencia and Valencia 0-2 Rosenborg (norway were ranked 19th this year). The reason they don't do it as often as before is the money gap because other teams are given qualifying advantages over them.

Many of the great teams come from outside the main leagues, but they have been squeezed out over the past 8 years, and yet they still beat the likes of Osasuna, Chievo or Everton. Give them a few more years and they'll be more than competetive.

Much rather see them than keeping up the status quo top four in our league, its part of the romance of European football in the first place. Being able to guess straight away who 14/16 qualifiers are is not a good thing, you certainly couldn't do that before 1999

Richie P

I think that both Rosenborg and Liverpool has disproved your point quite clearly this year.

The only group that has been predictably boring is the Arsenal and Sevilla group but that is because of it being 2 top sides v 2 minnows. And such a mismatch would only happened more often if you change the CL to include more of the minnows. </BLOCKQUOTE>

Not based on past evidence it wouldn't. A quick look back a few years to the 90's would show that isn't the case. The only reason there is that gap is because of the money advantages the Champions League has given the bigger leagues.

Anyway, this isn't advocating admitting minnows, it's champions from respectable leagues, which would have been Celtic and Fenerbahce for example this year. None of the changes are affecting the minnows, it's all mid ranking leagues

skybluedave

Should of just left it as the Champions only format.

As it is now you can't go back to that. But the big leagues should be reduced to 3 IMO.

Richie P

Agree, it would also have the advantage of making our league more exciting too, 4 into 3 doesn't go like it does every season now.

Theres no way we can go back to champions only, but there should definately be a big effort to get more champions involved.

skybluedave

If people want the best teams in the comp eg: 4 English, Spain and Italian etc. then would they be favour of making the World Cup 30 European teams plus Argie and Brazil? Or just not bothering with any Asian or African teams as they are never gonna win it.

The Rafalution

such a ridiculous post.