The Champions League is getting more and more exciting.

Champions league - Ảnh 1. — PSG (center) always faces a tough fixture schedule - Photo: Reuters

This is also the second season since UEFA implemented a major overhaul of the competition format, which has caused headaches for fans.

Fans are used to it.

But everything has to start anew. UEFA was incredibly bold to break the decades-old "symmetrical" rule. Instead, they adopted the "Swiss formula," often used in the scheduling of... chess tournaments. The consequence is that with the Champions League group stage almost complete, many fans still don't understand anything.

But by the second year, the initial feeling of unfamiliarity had largely faded. Fans began to understand some of the key changes in the new Champions League format. These included each team playing eight group stage matches instead of six as before, the elimination of the home and away format in the group stage, and the introduction of a play-off round after the group stage...

As for the teams, they have nothing to complain about anymore, as this new reform has helped increase prize money for each participating team by approximately 25-50%, not to mention factors like ticket sales and match-based revenue. The schedule is busier, but revenue has increased significantly, and the teams have nothing to complain about.

Champions league - Ảnh 2. — Real Madrid will face Marseille in the early hours of September 17th - Photo: REUTERS

Complex problem

In its second season, how has the landscape of the Champions League changed? Much has changed, as the schedule under this format is incredibly complex, with each season creating thousands of new variables. But overall, the challenges for every team remain the same.

Take PSG, for example. Last season they had to face Arsenal, Atletico, Bayern Munich, and Man City. Four out of eight of PSG's opponents were big clubs, not to mention that two of the remaining four were also clubs from Germany and Spain.

This season, PSG faces an even tougher challenge, having to play against two Bundesliga (Germany) representatives, Bayern Munich and Leverkusen; two La Liga (Spain) teams, Barca and Bilbao; two Premier League (England) teams, Tottenham and Newcastle; and Atalanta from Italy. Seven out of eight of their matches have been very difficult.

That is PSG's fate in every Champions League season from now on because they come from Ligue 1. UEFA stipulates that teams from the same league will not face each other in the group stage. This rule generally benefits representatives from the Premier League or La Liga - where there are many strong teams - and further concentrates the heavy schedule on teams from France, Portugal, etc.

Before their impressive performance in the knockout stages last season, PSG narrowly avoided elimination from the group stage. That threat will continue to be present this season, as PSG cannot afford to be complacent in any of their group stage matches.

Overall, the new format is not "easy" for any big team. The only comforting aspect is the play-off round, which offers a chance for teams that underperformed in 3-4 group stage matches to redeem themselves. Last season, Man City won only 3 and drew 2 of their 8 matches – earning a mere 11 points – yet still managed to qualify for the play-offs. The price they paid was facing a strong opponent (Real Madrid last season).

It's very difficult to devise a perfect strategy in such a complex format. For example, Liverpool – who topped their group last year – were unlucky enough to face PSG in the round of 16. But Arsenal, who finished third, were fortunate enough to face an easier opponent.

And that's exactly what UEFA expects: the more unpredictable a tournament is, the more exciting it becomes.

Schedule of notable matches late on September 16th and early on September 17th (Vietnam time):

- 11:45 PM on September 16th: Bilbao - Arsenal

- 2:00 a.m. September 17: Juventus - Dortmund, Real Madrid - Marseille, Tottenham - Villarreal

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HUY DANG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/champions-league-moi-luc-mot-hap-dan-20250916084649758.htm