UEFA to tweak new Champions League format | OneFootball

UEFA is preparing to introduce a key tweak to the new Champions League format to reward consistency in the new league phase.

According to Marca, clubs that finish in the top eight of the 36-team league stage will be granted home advantage for the second leg of knockout ties through to the semi-finals.

The change is close to being approved. It will give greater weight to results in the initial phase of the competition.

UEFA has reportedly gathered feedback from the footballing community on the new Champions League format and found a common frustration.

There were complaints that the top eight clubs were not being sufficiently rewarded under the current set-up, where only the round of 16-second leg is hosted by the higher-ranked team.

Under the new proposal, the home-away order of knockout ties will now be shaped by league-phase rankings.

If both teams in a given tie are among the top eight, the higher-placed side will host the decisive second leg.

This priority system will remain in place up to the semi-final stage. The final will still be staged at a neutral venue.

UEFA remains bullish about the success of its revamped format, but believe this tweak is a logical step in fine-tuning a structure that’s still relatively new.

No additional changes are being considered for the new Champions League format, but this home-leg advantage could have a competitive impact if approved.

It will give teams that dominate the league phase and expect to make deep runs an advantage in the knockout phase.

It is unclear whether this change will also apply to the Europa League and Europa Conference League.