In the debut season of the reformed Champions League — now featuring 36 clubs instead of 32 and a league system instead of the group stage — the semifinals are underway, but UEFA is already discussing possible changes for next season.
Axar.az informs according to Bild Sport three points are being discussed:
- Penalty shootouts instead of extra time
The 30-minute extra time in the knockout rounds could be eliminated in the event of a draw, with the winner decided directly by a penalty shootout. This aims to reduce the physical strain on players.
- Home advantage in the second leg of the knockout stage
Clubs that finish in the top eight of the league phase and thereby qualify directly for the round of 16 could receive an additional reward: in both the quarterfinals and semifinals, they would automatically play the second leg at home against lower-ranked opponents. Currently, this advantage only applies to the round of 16.
- The so-called “Country Protection”
Already after the league phase, clubs from the same country can face each other. This happened in the playoffs with PSG vs. Brest, and in the round of 16 with Bayern vs. Leverkusen and Real vs. Atlético. Such early matchups are unattractive to both fans and TV broadcasters. In the old format, clubs from the same country could only meet starting from the quarterfinals. That rule may be reinstated.