David Owen: Why the Champions League needs some surgery
By David Owen
Thursday’s group stage draw provides the perfect illustration of why the Champions League needs reform.
Tag: champions league
Celtic’s Rodgers says UCL pandering to big-money leagues is an unfair shut-out
By Andrew Warshaw
August 19 – The manager of Scottish giants Celtic has urged UEFA not to bow to the demands of Europe’s traditional big-hitters to the detriment of other equally deserving clubs as European football’s governing body prepares to head off the threat of a breakaway Super League.
UEFA prepare for Champions League battle as Super League proposal lurks in wings
By Paul Nicholson
August 17 – The UEFA Champions League and its associated Europa League club competition now looks certain to change its qualification format to head off the threat of a Super League breakaway by leading clubs.
CONCACAF play catch-up with boost to Champions League prize fund
June 16 – CONCACAF have boosted their prize money fund for their top tier Champions League club competition to $1.2 million for the 2016/17 season. They have also committed to supporting club travel costs in the early tournament stages.
Spurs agree Wembley deal to start with Champions League matches
May 30 – Tottenham Hotspur will play their Champions League home games next season at the national stadium at Wembley because of reduced capacity at the north London club’s already limited 36,000-seater ground.
Can Real and Atletico change world fashion as they chase club football’s richest prize?
By Samindra Kunti in Milan
May 27 – By the end of Saturday night the Champions League trophy will be returning to the Spanish capital as Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid contest club’s football richest game. The winner will bank a cool €15 million; the runner-up €10.5 million. The champions will also earn a ticket to the FIFA World Club Cup in Japan in December, where another €4.5 million is on offer for the winning finalist.
Ronaldo more exciting than boring Messi, Bayern and Juve send pulses racing
May 27 – UEFA Champions League sponsor Nissan have again delved into their ‘Excitement Index’ data to come up with a list of the most exciting moments and players so far this campaign.
CONCACAF launches Champions League season with Miami draw
May 24 – With one Champions League closing this weekend in Europe with the final between Real and Atletico Madrid in Milan, another one opens on Monday in the Americas with the draw for the 2016/17 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League in Miami.
BT drops pay platform to broadcast European club finals on Youtube and freeview
By Tom Parsons
May 12 – BT Sport has announced it will show the Champions League and Europa League finals free-to-air on its YouTube channel and freeview channel after recent criticism about the broadcaster’s low viewing figures for European football on the pay channels.
Milan venue for Madrid derby to decide the Champions League
May 5 – One of Europe’s most iconic stadiums, the San Siro in Milan, will play host to the second all-Madrid Champions League final in as many years on May 28 after 10-time titlists Real joined Atletico in a repeat of their 2014 showdown.
UEFA’s concentrated club wealth leaves little room for Infantino’s ‘solidarity’ pitch
By Paul Nicholson
May 4 – On the day that FIFA president Gianni Infantino addressed his former UEFA colleagues in Budapest with a plea for them to forgo their $5 million grants from FIFA for the greater good of developing world football, KPMG’s Football Benchmark team (also based in Budapest) produced an analysis of how UEFA has distributed its substantial wealth from its two major competitions (Champions League and Europa League) over the past three seasons.
Liverpool and Man City successes could rob Premier League of fourth CL spot
April 18 – Finishing fourth in the Premier League has traditionally been the goal for achieving Champions League football the following season.
Clash of the giants: CL draw separates Spanish but will Pep have the last word
April 15 – Will Pep Guardiola’s final game in charge of Bayern Munich be against the team he is leaving them for at the end of the season?
UEFA put damper on Man City fireworks
April 15 – Manchester City have been charged by UEFA after fireworks were set off during their 1-0 Champions League quarter-final, second-leg win over Paris St Germain on Tuesday night.
Anatomy of a cosy Ecuadorian TV deal that reverberated to the top of FIFA
By Paul Nicholson
April 6 – UEFA and its marketing agency TEAM have laid bare the anatomy of the Ecuadorian TV deal that has dragged FIFA president Gianni Infantino into the Panama Papers scandal as the signatory on the contract for Champions League TV rights in 2006.