Liverpool finally get Champions League clarity as UEFA 'confirms' format changes

Source link: https://news-247.top/n/189898 Liverpool has received confirmation of the new UEFA Champions League format set to be implemented next season. The revised structure will see an expansion from 32 to 36 teams, abandoning the traditional group stage for a league format. Each qualifying team will play eight matches—four home and four away—against opponents drawn based on their five-year UEFA coefficient. Teams finishing in the top eight will advance directly to the last-16, while those ranked 9th to 24th will enter a two-legged play-off to secure a knockout spot. The draw will pair teams as '1 and 2' and '3 and 4', ensuring they are placed on opposite sides of the bracket. Seeded teams from the play-offs will face unseeded teams, with the winners challenging the top eight in the last-16. The quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final will follow the existing format, with the final held at a neutral venue. Liverpool, under Arne Slot's management, aims to secure a top-eight finish to guarantee a smoother path in the competition. The league stage will conclude in January, followed by subsequent knockout rounds leading up to the final in May.