The new Champions maintains sporting merits prevail to qualify

The UEFA Executive Committee this afternoon approved the definitive format of the Champions League from the 24-25 season, which includes the increase in participants from 32 to 36 and eight games in the first phase, four at home and four away , although not against the same rivals as in the previous model. In the first design, it was planned that there would be ten games played by each club in the first phase, but they have been reduced to eight because both the Premier League and LaLiga considered them excessive.

The classification for the round of 16 will be established with the eight teams that add the most points and from ninth to 24th they will play a two-leg tie to complete the draw.

One of the great discussions was on how the four new places were assigned. The big ones advocated sticking to the UEFA coefficient of the clubs, which was opposed by the most modest and the leagues. The European organization has dealt a blow in this sense to the Super League, by prioritizing sporting merit. One place will be awarded to the club ranked third in the association championship in fifth position in the UEFA national association ranking and another to a national champion expanding from four to five the number of clubs that qualify through the called “Route of the champions” (preliminary phase).

The last two places will go to the federations with the best collective performance of their clubs in the previous season (total number of points obtained divided by the number of participating clubs). Those two associations will earn a place for the highest-ranked club in the domestic league behind the UEFA Champions League standings. For example, at the end of the current season the two associations adding a club to the Champions League, based on the collective performance of their clubs, would be England and the Netherlands.

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