Champions League ‘considering THREE huge format changes next season’ – after Arsenal complained
UEFA are considering three major format changes for the Champions League next season – including one which comes after a complaint from Arsenal.
The Champions League adopted its new Swiss model league phase this season, but could already make changes before the next campaign kicks off.
According to German outlet Bild, three new changes are being considered for the 2025/26 campaign with a meeting scheduled to discuss the proposals.
The first comes after Arsenal raised concerns that they were playing most of their knockout game second legs away from home.
Uefa are reportedly mulling over a change of their rules that would mean teams finishing higher in the league phase will get the home advantage in the second-leg of the knockout stages.
At the moment, teams who finish in the top eight of the league phase bypass a play-off round and automatically play their last 16 second-leg at home.
However, quarter-finals and semi-finals don’t receive the same treatment.
Arsenal had to play the second-leg of their quarter-final clash with Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu, and will have to play away for the second-leg of their upcoming semi-final against PSG too.
Arsenal finished third in the league phase and feel they should be rewarded for that with most football fans accepting that there is a slight advantage to playing the second leg at home.
By comparison, Real Madrid (11th) and PSG (15th) both finished outside the top eight and had to win a play-off game to advance into the last 16.
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Uefa are also considering removing extra-time.
Europe’s footballing body are thinking about sending ties that finish level straight to penalties to ease player workload amidst widespread concern for increasing injuries.
The final proposed change is regarding teams from the same domestic league facing one another.
Prior to this season’s new format domestic rivals couldn’t be drawn against each other in the group stage or the last 16.
But the new league phase system only stops teams from playing their compatriots during the initial league phase and not during the last 16.
That meant that this year’s tournament saw PSG face fellow Ligue 1 side Brest in the play-offs, while Bayern Munich played Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid took on fierce rivals Atletico Madrid in the round of 16.
Uefa are thought to think that these types of fixtures are not as attractive to fans and broadcasters, so are considering re-implementing their previous protection rules.
The three proposed rules are set to be discussed in Munich next month at a meeting between The Club Competitions Committee, one day before this year’s final.