What if the announced death of club football turned into a bogus prophecy? Vilified for its barely disguised resemblance to the Super League which it nevertheless officially opposes, the new formula of the Champions League carried by Aleksander Ceferin is, little by little, getting everyone to agree. Certainly, UEFA has made its task easier by interspersing the autumn with international breaks devoted to the filthy League of Nations, the only merit of which is precisely to sublimate everything that can distance us from it, therefore Ligue 1 , but also the LoC.
But halfway through the C1 championship phase, it must be recognized that the doubts raised by the incomprehensible draw and the disparate paths of each party have been dissipated to make way for a spectacle that is, for the moment, pleasant. . Especially by observing the thing from the prism of the very good French courses, with the exception of PSG which is already playing for its life in Munich but rather like Brest, which travels to the Camp Nou this evening.
The little ones have never bothered the big ones so much
Marked by Bayern's overwhelming success against Dinamo Zagreb (9-2), definitely still in good shape, the first day did not bode well for the small clubs. But as is often the case in well-crafted series, the first episode is there to set the scene, and we had to wait for the next one to enjoy the joys of the storyline. Brest which crushes Salzburg, Lille which cools Real, Unai Emery hits Bayern with Aston Villa in good memory of PSG, Benfica which atomizes Atlético 4-0… Unheard of since the Red Wedding. Add to that the teams capable of resuscitating from one match to the next and vice versa: Zagreb unplayable from the start against Bayern, the Bavarians ultimately less strong than we thought, Stuttgart absolutely worthless who wake up to seek the three points at Juventus. Who knows, even OM could score points in this competition one day.
The winner has unlimited access to the loser.
Presented as THE big weak point of the formula due to its attack on fairness between the teams, the abolition of the system of back and forth matches in reality offers the clashes an incomparable flavor. In the event of victory, supporters of the former gain unlimited access to the latter until further notice. For example, in just two matches, Losc supporters won a ticket to make fun of the entire city of Madrid while waiting to cross paths with Real and Atlético again. The Brestois are already looking forward to joining the circle on January 29, after the Merengue reception at Roudourou.
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PSG makes us laugh even earlier in the season
A formula of 36 teams ensuring qualification for 24 of them, a system built by the powerful, for the powerful. Impossible, in such a configuration, that a big club could fall by the wayside at the end of the league phase. Impossible, except for the kings of entertainment in Europe, Paris Saint-Germain. After four days, Luis Enrique's men are in a position to be eliminated if they don't wake up quickly. Problem, they travel to Bayern and will host Manchester City for their last home match. In Paris, will January be the new March?
The extreme multiplex on the last day
January 29, 2025. Note the date. No, this is not the new deadline for humanity announced by the Mayan calendar. Although, given current events, that could well be the case. In this case, it is the date of the multiplex of the last day of the group stage of the Champions League. EVERYONE will play at the same time, 18 matches that will be absolutely impossible to follow simultaneously, tickets for the 8th and the play-offs to scratch, drama, in short, a mess worthy of the biggest games of Super Smash Bros for an end in apotheosis. No, really, we take back what we said Aleksander. Thanks for the work.
The downside: Real Madrid will still win in the end.
Don't be fooled by the Merengue's provisional 18th place, they will seek a place in the round of 16 by the end of January and will win as usual at the end of spring. And the calendar weighed down by the new formula of the C1 may tickle Vinicius's ischium, who in turn complains of the “hellish paces” will not change anything. But nice try, Aleksander. Maybe Gianni Infantino and his new foam cut will succeed in delivering the final blow, who knows.
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