European League Phases End: A Welcome Change or Utter Woke Nonsense

European League Phases End: A Welcome Change or Utter Woke Nonsense

This past Wednesday and Thursday saw the conclusion of all UEFA competition’s group stages. Ahem, League Phase rather, my apologies.

24 clubs progress through into at least the playoffs of the respective competitions, where the top eight teams from each tournament advance directly into the last 16, while sides ninth through 24th play each other in a playoff to determine the other eight who will join them.

There has been many differing views and opinions on the new and revamped format which replaced the old school groups of four format at the commencement of the 2024/25 campaign. In this article, we will dive into different views fans have on the format, and end with our overall take on the whether or not this is all just utter woke nonsense.

𝐔𝐄𝐋 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐆𝐔𝐄 𝐏𝐇𝐀𝐒𝐄: 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐃 ✔️

Through to the Round of 16:
🇫🇷 Lyon
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Aston Villa
🇩🇰 Midtjylland
🇪🇸 Real Betis
🇵🇹 Porto
🇵🇹 Braga
🇩🇪 Freiburg
🇮🇹 Roma pic.twitter.com/DGYyUYNN4P

— 433 (@433) January 29, 2026

No Room for Nostalgia Here

The format we were used to the European competitions having were incepted back in 1999, and it is all I have personally ever known, and when it was announced that this format would replace it in 2024, I was very sceptical.

However, diving into the format, you do start to see the positives of it. For example, from this tweet below we can perfectly depict how those last round of matches were, with twists and turns around every corner as each goal incurred a mammoth impact on the standings.

After two seasons, it’s safe to say UEFA getting rid of the group stage and going with a league phase was an absolutely FANTASTIC decision.

It’s a complete rollercoaster of emotions, with upsets and last-minute drama all around Europe. Huge upgrade over the previous version.

— Zach Lowy (@ZachLowy) January 28, 2026

The highlight of the Champions League’s conclusion had to of course be Benfica’s late strike over Real Madrid where ‘keeper Anatoliy Trubin’s stoppage-time header not only meant that they defeated Madrid 4-2 but the goal also meant their goal difference became better than that of Marseille’s which sent them through to the playoff – where they will play…

You guessed it. Real Madrid.

This takes us perfectly onto our next point, and that is the profile of blockbuster clashes. Quite rarely do you remember or did you see an eight plus goal thriller or a general titan versus titan collision. Since the inception of this format, however, we have had some absolute corkers.

Some matches contested between Europe’s greatest. Take that Benfica 4-2 Real Madrid. Or that Benfica 4-5 Barcelona plus their rematch in the last 16, or even Barcelona’s 7-6 aggregate defeat to Inter Milan in the semifinals of last season. We have also had our eyes attached to games even in the league phase that have such a fierce rivalry – including Chelsea vs Barcelona, Real Madrid vs Man City or Liverpool vs Real Madrid.

These elite level and high calibre matches is what makes the Champions League so special and memorable – we cannot find these types of matches in any other club competition with so much at stake.

This may sound like a compelling argument, but it does come with its downsides.

Future Worries

The previous argument surrounding the constant high-level clashes between juggernauts so early in the competition is of course wonderful for the tournament and its viewership, but it is what could also pave the way for future downfalls.

Maybe I’m just old school, but I hate the new Champions League format.

The old group stage... home and away vs the same 3 teams... built some actual rivalry, especially if you got drawn with the same team in back-to-back years. You learned the matchups, you dreaded the away…

— Rob Pizzola (@robpizzola) January 21, 2026

Now I’m not talking in the next five or even 10 years, but there will become a time where everyone gets tired of the blockbuster matches, purely through the fact they would occur so often, and potentially even play each three times in the same season should they meet in both the league phase and the knockout phase; a possibility it is too, with how the format is shaped.

The anticipation surrounding the ties will eventually tire, and less people around Europe and the world would be bothered to tune in, unless it was of course at a latter stage or held such importance.

Another aspect which could become an issue falls under player welfare, and that is of course regarding the number of matches played. In the old format, there were 12 matches played in eight groups, resulting in an overall count of 96 matches (we won’t count the round of 16 onwards here, since it’s the same as the current format). In the revamped League Phase, however, there are 18 matches played across eight different matchdays, resulting in 144 matches, plus the 16 played in the playoff prior to the last 16, which is an additional 64 games overall.

The draw for the UEFA Champions League knockout play-offs 🇪🇺🍿 pic.twitter.com/xqbGiN4qOP

— Prime Video Sport UK (@primevideosport) January 30, 2026

Additionally, with the old format, clubs would be in a group with just three others, whom they would play at home and away. These six games had more at stake, since there was less room to slip up, and a poor start could mean you have three must win games at the back end of the group just to make it through.

The current format, however, allows for a slow start for teams get into it, something which Liverpool fans are probably still seething at from last year, and rightly so. Paris Saint-Germain were given a lifeline at the end of the League Phase last term, something the Parisians took with both hands, as they ended up winning the tournament, drawing League Phase winners Liverpool in the last 16.

Lastly, another argument is the quality of clubs able to make it past the first phase. This season has given us examples such as Bødo/Glimt, who although deserved a place in the playoffs after defeating both Manchester City and Atletico Madrid to make the top 24, arguably wouldn’t have stood a chance in a regular group stage – same goes for Qarabag FK.

Now, although both sides are very unlikely to make it out of their respective playoff ties against Inter and Newcastle respectively anyway, they wouldn’t be in that position had the competition allowed the top 16 sides to progress.

Final Verdict

In our eyes, although there are plausible arguments on both sides of the coin, this new format was definitely the right way for UEFA to go. This can be seen in the way that the sport is becoming more business and commercially focused, with the constant entertainment and drama factor providing an added bonus.

Heading into the final matchday where there are still over half the top 24 slots to be filled and decided, has fans on their toes from minute one. The constant drama and twists and turns until the very end is the biggest driving factor which directs us towards this decision.

I do stand by the argument that the anticipation around the constant big fixtures will tire but, there is no doubt this format offers a new and exciting way for football fans to get excited for more matches every season and, who knows, maybe the change is welcome after all.