Alexander Ceferinpresident of UEFA since 2016, redefined the new format of the Champions League, which was officially announced last Tuesday and brings changes that have suddenly broken the contention system of recent years.

The main change is that the traditional team stage will be replaced by a team stage to be played according to the so -called “Swiss model”: each club will have eight games against eight different opponents. In addition, the number of participating teams will increase from 32 to 36. This will apply from the 2024-25 season.

“Big teams will play more games against each other, but also against medium teams. They, in turn, will play others in their category and will have more opportunities to advance,” Ceferin summed up. up at the UEFA congress in Vienna.

He added: “This system will be more attractive than at present, because after the first stage it is still not clear who will continue, which will make the battles more interesting.”

Ceferin burned the Super League

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The project of European Super Leaguepromoted by Florentino Perez Y Andrea Agnellthe priests of Real Madrid and Juventus, respectively, suggested a contest between the most powerful clubs in the world: the twelve founders (Real Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Atlético Madrid, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool , Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Juventus, Milan and Inter), joined by Lyon, Marseille, Leipzig and “an extra five teams depending on last season’s performance”.

This idea, which has been rejected by soccer fans, players and international organizations, it completely failed within a few days and generated a rupture at UEFAbecause the Superliga is not compatible with the Champions League.

“The new Champions League is the last nail in the coffin of the Super League. The coffin has been prepared for a long time, but now we have to close it completely,” Ceferin said.

And he added: “The key to everything was suppressed, in two, three days, the crazy idea, that It means the total destruction of football, the end of the European model of sport. “.

In addition, the 54-year-old Slovenian, who seeks re-election in April 2023 and wants to continue upholding the values ​​of unity, inclusion and openness in football, against discrimination and populism, he referred to the resumption in the face of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

The expulsion of Russian clubs and the Russian national team from competitions organized by UEFA, in the same way that FIFA excludes the national team from Valery Karpin of Qatar 2022, represents a “necessary suspension of sporting neutrality” to force those who decide the war, the top soccer leader in Europe explained.

However, he did not consider it positive that players, coaches and fans who were not responsible for the situation were punished. The rumor that Russia could go to the Asian confederation comes, in his opinion, “from some politician and not from the Russian federation, because that means taking Russian football back 100 years.”