Teams meeting restrictions (country protection

[KRB]

Will there be country protection at the playoff rounds and round of 16?

What about the teams that faced each other in the knock out rounds? When they can meet each other (eg Barca - Bayern)?

[amenina]

Will there be country protection at the playoff rounds and round of 16?

What about the teams that faced each other in the knock out rounds? When they can meet each other (eg Barca - Bayern)?

With the new format starting from this season, neither constraints will be enforced in the knockout rounds anymore. So starting from the knockout round play-offs, teams from the same association can play each other, and teams who have played each other (once only) in the league stage can again play each other (so this means two teams can play each other in three consecutive matches, starting from the last matchday of the leagues stage, followed by two matches in the knockout round play-offs).

The only restrictions will be the political ones decided by the UEFA Executive Committee: Armenia/Azerbaijan (if peace talks are successful, maybe this one will be removed?), Gibraltar/Spain, Kosovo/Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo/Serbia, Ukraine/Belarus, Ukraine/Russia (should Russia's ban be lifted in the future). But none of these constraints are applicable for this season, since there are no prohibited pairs of teams currently playing in the same tournament, and there are no more "transfers" to a lower-level competition after the league stage.

[KRB]

Will there be country protection at the playoff rounds and round of 16?

What about the teams that faced each other in the knock out rounds? When they can meet each other (eg Barca - Bayern)?

With the new format starting from this season, neither constraints will be enforced in the knockout rounds anymore. So starting from the knockout round play-offs, teams from the same association can play each other, and teams who have played each other (once only) in the league stage can again play each other (so this means two teams can play each other in three consecutive matches, starting from the last matchday of the leagues stage, followed by two matches in the knockout round play-offs).

The only restrictions will be the political ones decided by the UEFA Executive Committee: Armenia/Azerbaijan (if peace talks are successful, maybe this one will be removed?), Gibraltar/Spain, Kosovo/Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo/Serbia, Ukraine/Belarus, Ukraine/Russia (should Russia's ban be lifted in the future). But none of these constraints are applicable for this season, since there are no prohibited pairs of teams currently playing in the same tournament, and there are no more "transfers" to a lower-level competition after the league stage.

I think at playoffs, teams that met each other at the league stage cannot. Team 9 or 10 can play team 23 or 24. Why team 9 can play team 23?

[amenina]

Will there be country protection at the playoff rounds and round of 16?

What about the teams that faced each other in the knock out rounds? When they can meet each other (eg Barca - Bayern)?

With the new format starting from this season, neither constraints will be enforced in the knockout rounds anymore. So starting from the knockout round play-offs, teams from the same association can play each other, and teams who have played each other (once only) in the league stage can again play each other (so this means two teams can play each other in three consecutive matches, starting from the last matchday of the leagues stage, followed by two matches in the knockout round play-offs).

The only restrictions will be the political ones decided by the UEFA Executive Committee: Armenia/Azerbaijan (if peace talks are successful, maybe this one will be removed?), Gibraltar/Spain, Kosovo/Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo/Serbia, Ukraine/Belarus, Ukraine/Russia (should Russia's ban be lifted in the future). But none of these constraints are applicable for this season, since there are no prohibited pairs of teams currently playing in the same tournament, and there are no more "transfers" to a lower-level competition after the league stage.

I think at playoffs, teams that met each other at the league stage cannot. Team 9 or 10 can play team 23 or 24. Why team 9 can play team 23?

It is never explicitly explained by UEFA why. Likely because it is possible that team 9 and team 24 may be prohibited by a political restriction, so they need an alternative. Or perhaps UEFA want at least some randomness in the knockout stage bracket, so people will watch the draws, which are still good promotions to the tournaments.

[KRB]

With the new format starting from this season, neither constraints will be enforced in the knockout rounds anymore. So starting from the knockout round play-offs, teams from the same association can play each other, and teams who have played each other (once only) in the league stage can again play each other (so this means two teams can play each other in three consecutive matches, starting from the last matchday of the leagues stage, followed by two matches in the knockout round play-offs).

The only restrictions will be the political ones decided by the UEFA Executive Committee: Armenia/Azerbaijan (if peace talks are successful, maybe this one will be removed?), Gibraltar/Spain, Kosovo/Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo/Serbia, Ukraine/Belarus, Ukraine/Russia (should Russia's ban be lifted in the future). But none of these constraints are applicable for this season, since there are no prohibited pairs of teams currently playing in the same tournament, and there are no more "transfers" to a lower-level competition after the league stage.

I think at playoffs, teams that met each other at the league stage cannot. Team 9 or 10 can play team 23 or 24. Why team 9 can play team 23?

It is never explicitly explained by UEFA why. Likely because it is possible that team 9 and team 24 may be prohibited by a political restriction, so they need an alternative. Or perhaps UEFA want at least some randomness in the knockout stage bracket, so people will watch the draws, which are still good promotions to the tournaments.

It is writting this "The draw for the round of 16 is also made by pairs of clubs based on the ranking in the league stage and the result of the knockout stage play-offs. Clubs of each pair go to different sides of the schedule and can not meet again before the final (see the knockout stage schedule below)."

I considered each pair, that they played at the league stage

[amenina]

I think at playoffs, teams that met each other at the league stage cannot. Team 9 or 10 can play team 23 or 24. Why team 9 can play team 23?

It is never explicitly explained by UEFA why. Likely because it is possible that team 9 and team 24 may be prohibited by a political restriction, so they need an alternative. Or perhaps UEFA want at least some randomness in the knockout stage bracket, so people will watch the draws, which are still good promotions to the tournaments.

It is writting this "The draw for the round of 16 is also made by pairs of clubs based on the ranking in the league stage and the result of the knockout stage play-offs. Clubs of each pair go to different sides of the schedule and can not meet again before the final (see the knockout stage schedule below)."

I considered each pair, that they played at the league stage

Please refer to the UCL regulations "Article 19 Draw system – knockout phase"

https://documents.uefa.com/r/Regulation ... ase-Online

And "Annex B - UEFA Champions League Competition System"

https://documents.uefa.com/r/Regulation ... tem-Online

And the knockout round bracket illustration below



"Clubs of each pair" are the teams in adjacent position in the league phase final standings which are paired together for the purpose of the draw. For the knockout round play-offs draw
Seeded: teams 9/10, 11/12, 13/14, 15/16
Unseeded: teams 17/18, 19/20, 21/22, 23/24

For each pair, one team will be drawn to the upper half of the bracket, while the other team will be drawn to the lower half, and they will face an opponent according to the seeding, so for example, teams 9/10 will play teams 23/24.

Same for the round of 16 draw, with the directly qualified teams 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8 paired. For each pair, one team will be drawn to the upper half of the bracket, while the other team will be drawn to the lower half, and they will face an opponent according to the seeding, so for example, teams 1/2 will play the winners of play-off ties between teams 15/16 and 17/18.

Again, there is no country protection, and no restrictions for teams who met in the league phase. The only restrictions are political ones decided by the UEFA Executive Committee. So if for example, team 9 is from Ukraine and team 23 is from Belarus, since they cannot play each other, then we know for sure that in the knockout round play-offs, team 9 will play team 24, and team 10 will play team 23.

In the very unlikely case that both possible draw results are prohibited by political restrictions, for example, if team 9 is from Ukraine, and both teams 23 and 24 are from Belarus, then UEFA have to make adaptations to the seeding system to accommodate this. Maybe teams 9/10 will instead be drawn against teams 21/22, while teams 11/12 will be drawn against teams 23/24. But this is decided by UEFA on a case-by-case basis.

[perica]

Well, in such case uefa needs to think in forward, and prevent possible ukr/blr clash in round of 16, quarterfinal and semifinal. However, if both teams keep winning their matches, nobody can stop their clash in the final.

I assume if there is ukrainian and belarussian team in knockout phase, one team will be simply put to the left and another to the right bracket, and that makes optimal prevention. Other constraints can be matched easily.

[oliverguo]

Due to all respect, the new UEFA Champions League playoffs format looks like the son of NBA and NFL's.

[amenina]

Due to all respect, the new UEFA Champions League playoffs format looks like the son of NBA and NFL's.

In NBA or other American sports playoffs, there is no draw. Seed 1 plays Seed 8, Seed 2 plays Seed 7, etc.

The presentation made by UEFA to introduce the new format describes it as similar to tennis tournament draws. But draws in Grand Slams are less strict. For example, Seed 1 can play any of Seed 5-8 in the quarterfinals.

So the UEFA draws are somewhere between the above two in terms of the restrictions of opponents teams may be play in the knockout rounds.

[amenina]

Well, in such case uefa needs to think in forward, and prevent possible ukr/blr clash in round of 16, quarterfinal and semifinal. However, if both teams keep winning their matches, nobody can stop their clash in the final.

I assume if there is ukrainian and belarussian team in knockout phase, one team will be simply put to the left and another to the right bracket, and that makes optimal prevention. Other constraints can be matched easily.

Yes, I think if a team from Ukraine and a team from Belarus reach the round of 16, likely UEFA will enforce that the two teams be placed in opposite halves of the draw.

[FEPG]

In NBA or other American sports playoffs, there is no draw. Seed 1 plays Seed 8, Seed 2 plays Seed 7, etc.

I think he was talking about the lack of reseeding after the first round, which NFL &, previously, NHL have.

In the Champions League playoffs, If the lowest-ranked team beats the #1 seed, they potentially get the easiest path possible. This creates little incentive to finish higher in the standings, since it only affects the strength of the opponent in the first playoff round.

[amenina]

In NBA or other American sports playoffs, there is no draw. Seed 1 plays Seed 8, Seed 2 plays Seed 7, etc.

I think he was talking about the lack of reseeding after the first round, which NFL &, previously, NHL have.

In the Champions League playoffs, If the lowest-ranked team beats the #1 seed, they potentially get the easiest path possible. This creates little incentive to finish higher in the standings, since it only affects the strength of the opponent in the first playoff round.

I think NFL is the only North American sports league that still use reseeding in the playoffs, not NBA, MLB, NHL (since they go with the new playoff seeding format), MLS, NWSL, WNBA, NCAA football, NCAA basketball etc. Well, there is another one that use reseeding, that is the Liga MX Liguilla.

I think in general, people prefer a set bracket which makes it easier to understand. If the lower seed beat a higher seed, then they sort of "claim" that higher seed.

Although I am a little bit surprised that UEFA do not even reseed between the knockout round play-offs and the round of 16, as the draw for the round of 16 is held after the knockout round play-offs are completed. So if Seed 24 beat Seed 9 or 10, then they get to play Seed 7 or 8 next.

As for teams not caring about having a higher ranking, it will not matter for most teams. If a team is close to the position 24 before the last matchday, then most likely they have to get a result to ensure finishing in top 24, and this may even come down to goal difference, so it is not like they can ease off for their final match. Same for teams close to the position 8 in order to enter the round of 16 directly. Only teams that have clinched a top 8 place before the final match can relax.

And there are already built-in mechanism to reward higher ranking positions in league stage. Prize money for winning or drawing matches, and coefficient points for ranking positions that are introduced starting from this season.

[fabiomh]

I agree with @amenina . This small draw is good for promozione and to have 1 additional hour on TV.
In addition it might be good to avoid matches between clubs from countries with political troubles.

I don't think it can be used to avoid matches between clubs from the same country.
If clubs from the same country finish11th, 12th and 21st, it wouldn't work. The 21st should meet one of the two.

The same for clubs already met in LS.
Example: 3 teams which met one each other in LS, like Liverpool, Real Madrid and Milan - I didn't check, maybe there is some other example; in case they finish 9th, 10th and 23th, it is impossible avoiding some of them will meet again.