Has the Champions League lost its magic

I’ve been critical of the Champions League but the semi final ties were magnificent this season - really good, technical games of football with a bit of drama thrown in.

To many canon fodder matchups earlier in the tournament for me but that’s because of the gulf in resources… and restricting it to exclude the weaker nations goes against what many football fans want to see in these tournaments.
 
Think a lot of comments on here, including my own, have been disproven by the way the quarters and semis have gone. They've been mega games most of them, albeit featuring sides that usually appear in the later stages year after year.
 
The group stages have been mostly bland for years. The knockout stages not so..
Don't know if new format will liven it up ?
 
i think its a lot better when no English teams make it to semis as then we dont have to listen to the medias nonsense about could it be their year bla bla and then the commentary is neutral and the build up not so focused on one team
 
After last night and Tuesday night, I don't think it has lost its magic. Those were two brilliant semi finals. I do think the group stage is becoming more diluted though. It's the same with the Euros and the World Cup. No one is really bothered until it gets to the knock out rounds.
 
I didn't watch any of the semi finals, and I like Real Madrid, as I couldn't be arsed with it. A few years ago that would have been unthinkable for me to not at least watch one of them.

The final is always a good social event on my calendar going out for a drink with mates etc. I will look forward to that right enough!
 
chucknorris said:
I didn't watch any of the semi finals, and I like Real Madrid, as I couldn't be arsed with it. A few years ago that would have been unthinkable for me to not at least watch one of them.

The final is always a good social event on my calendar going out for a drink with mates etc. I will look forward to that right enough!
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You missed four brilliant games, I don't see how any football fan if given the option wouldn't watch it.
 
It’s boring as teams from countries like England are happy with 4th place in their league guaranteed Champions lge football direct.I don’t mind them playing Champions league football but direct into sections is a no.Still maintain years ago all in draw was magical .
 
Four great and enjoyable semi final games full of drama. Find the group games tedious and rarely watch them now. Once the cream comes to the top the football is much better as evidenced with the semis.
Looking forward to the final.
 
Ive said it for years. Its a terrible competition with some good games if that makes sense. Its just geared up to benefit the same teams every season. You could guess the last 8 before a ball is kicked.
 
the latter stages will always be good with the talent on display but anything before that seems a bit of a procession

the new format next season doesn't sound inspiring at all, it sort of takes away the magic of the draw and 36 teams with the top 24 qualifying from it will still mean plenty of meaningless games
 
TheProdfather said:
the latter stages will always be good with the talent on display but anything before that seems a bit of a procession


the new format next season doesn't sound inspiring at all, it sort of takes away the magic of the draw and 36 teams with the top 24 qualifying from it will still mean plenty of meaningless games
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Only 12 Teams failing to qualify - money making scheme for the same Clubs
 
RabSpackman said:
I’ve been critical of the Champions League but the semi final ties were magnificent this season - really good, technical games of football with a bit of drama thrown in.

To many canon fodder matchups earlier in the tournament for me but that’s because of the gulf in resources… and restricting it to exclude the weaker nations goes against what many football fans want to see in these tournaments.
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Could the semi finals of been great games because there were no English teams in them.
 
Really dont watch any champions league matches that we are not in. It became boring when the top 5 leagues flood it with teams who are nowhere near being champoins and teams that are champoins are either in the europa or conference, scrap it and bring back the european cup or the champions league in its first incarnation
 
The C L is so corrupt with large clubs taken over by Arab Countries for them to throw monies at players, vastly not as good as what their supposed to be, and breaking every financial fair play, they use as a play thing for their Egos. The C L for me of an older generation has totally lost its charisma of the elite football tournament.
 
It’s not a competition that’s going to bother us we can’t win our own league at present
 
Have always said that the Champions League should only be for the champions. If that’s not us, then so be it.

I’d rather watch the champions of Denmark and Croatia play each other than a few teams who have unlimited finances to throw at player sales.

The magic of the Champions League should be that just maybe, an underdog would get the luck of the draw and end up going far in the competition. It’s garbage watching the same overpowered teams every year.
 
Corporal Jones said:
Could the semi finals of been great games because there were no English teams in them.
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For all that I dislike what Man City represent with massive investment and a sense of entitlement while being a soulless husk of a club…. they do play some fantastic football but how would they have played it against Real Madrid?

These semis saw everyone really go for it, I think that was the difference to previous years where there is caution about falling at the second from last hurdle.
 
I've not been fussed with the Champs League for a while now. Maybe more to do with our success in the Europa the last few seasons etc.

However I've really enjoyed the quarters and semi's this year, really good games that had a bit of everything.
 
Yeti_Hunter said:
I've not been fussed with the Champs League for a while now. Maybe more to do with our success in the Europa the last few seasons etc.

However I've really enjoyed the quarters and semi's this year, really good games that had a bit of everything.
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I agree, the Europa League is a far better competition and it’s mainly because there’s more of an even playing field for the clubs involved.
 
GovanFront4 said:
It's fucking mental is what it is. Then they will demand Rangers win European ties while admitting they don't know the opposition.
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I think its staunch to say the CL has lost its charm and I only watch European games if Rangers are in it.

Its 2024, football is all about the money now and we are a million miles from ever competing but its still a great show.

I’d rather watch those kind of games than watching teams trying to break down 11 men behind the ball every week, time wasting and play acting.
 
evo14 said:
I agree, the Europa League is a far better competition and it’s mainly because there’s more of an even playing field for the clubs involved.
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Not sure thats entirely true seeing as Dortmund are in the final, no one gave them a chance but here we are.
 
The group stages are pretty pointless other than letting clubs like us and the tinks make a few quid.
We embarrassed ourselves last time and that was just after reaching a European final as well.
We would be better in a competition with the likes of the Dutch,Belgian and Scandinavian teams.
Maybe not as rich but at least it would be competitive
 
Next year you will be able to watch the highlights on BBC for the UCL, I wonder how many will forego the live matches when they work out that to watch it on a Tuesday you need Amazon and on a Wednesday you need TNT (throw in the SPL is on Sky and the cup is on Premier? and it all gets expensive).

Gets more complicated in the knock out stages of the UCL as Amazon have a lot of first picks, TNT may end up with no British knockout games till the semi finals.
 
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