Shock, UEFA want to change something that isn’t broken
Plans are being put in place to abolish two-legged Champions League semi-finals as UEFA officials draw up new plans, with leading European clubs calling for change.
According to The Times, the new format would see both semi-finals and the final of Europe’s biggest competition played over the same week in one city.
UEFA want to create a ‘week of football’ festival-type event.
The plan is known as the Champions League “week of football” and if accepted, would end the format of having a two-legged semi-final affair, which has been in place since 1995.
UEFA’s “week of football” idea would see a festival-type event, similar to that of the Nations League, be used to celebrate the final run-in of the Champions League.
As part of the idea, one city would host both semi-finals and the final, an idea which would restrict the number of locations available for UEFA to use.
No decision has been made, but the idea has received backing.
UEFA have said that no official decision has been made as of yet however the European Club Association (ECA) are prepared to back the idea. The idea would also need to receive approval from the European Leagues organisation too.
It is believed that some members of the UEFA hierarchy are opposed to the idea but the European governing body’s chief, Aleksander Ceferin, has spoken highly of the idea previously, with the idea of a straight knock-out match more appealing to him.
Should a change be ratified it would likely be first introduced in the 2024-25 campaign – the same year the new Champions League format comes into place.
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