kwchannell89

Once again, I am NOT American. You know you can live in a different country than your own... actually, maybe you should give it a go, it helps to open people's mind. </BLOCKQUOTE>

sorry, i should have said people living in america

and btw i'm irish lived most my life in milan and now live in manchester, so i guess it fails to open some peoples minds :p </BLOCKQUOTE>

So you're an Irishilancunian? </BLOCKQUOTE>

retired_sedimohasel

Hehe, I saw that you were the last one who posted in this thread and I was like "here we go again..."

No beef this time, awesome :thup:

retired_jsnap

Seeing as to win you need to qualify, I don't see how that's valid.

Another point making it harder before the group stage was that with knockout matches teams would have to be good throughout the season. If they hit a bad patch of form around a two legged tie then they are gone.

It was rewarding teams who were consistently on their game over a 2 year period, which is quite an effort.

retired_omiandrea

Not for "Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Roma, Milan, Lazio, Barca, Valencia, Sevilla and another 5 or 6 good quality sides".

I don't see how you haven't quite grasped that point yet. </BLOCKQUOTE>

But it would be for United, Real and Inter.. far easier.

And given that i'm actually talking about the CL I win.

retired_jsnap

So anxious to claim a win in an argument.

I refer you to my post above.

retired_sedimohasel

Seeing as to win you need to qualify, I don't see how that's valid. </BLOCKQUOTE>

Step one is easier but step 2 is way harder.
And yes in the groups you can have one or 2 bad games but overall there's more games to be played, the margin of error is still small, and against better teams.

retired_anneduck

This is apparently the compromise that UEFA will pass in about a weeks time, the UEFA CUp change would be a surprise:

- Direct access for 12 champions, 6 runners-up and the 3rd placed teams from Spain, England and Italy

- At least five spots are reserved for the champions of the lower leagues, they will be decided by three qualifying rounds

- i.E. 17 champions are qualified for the group stage

- Unfortunately no details about the qualifying format for non-champions

- The 3rd placed teams of the group stage are elimated instead of moving into the UEFA Cup.

Source: Berliner Morgenpost

retired_jsnap

That will then lead to a shake up of the Uefa Cup too then.

retired_v_meenucancer

am disgusted that the new proposals don't let everton, bolton and portsmouth into the group stages automatically :thdn:

retired_anneduck

Hopefully, group stage is a complete mess at the moment.

Apparently the proposal is 12 groups of four, top 2 go thorugh, then straight knockout.