Absent a supercomputer, the Champions League journey remains static. 😴
The UEFA Champions League is embracing Artificial Intelligence now. Tonight, a technologically advanced computer will participate in the intricate group stage draw for the historic event. This revamped tournament promises to be the most complex yet, and it ain't just the competition or anthem getting a facelift.
The fresh version of the Champions League anthem now features a twist, thanks to composer Tony Britten's signature tune that was inspired by Handel's "Zadok the Priest." But it's not a complete transformation; rather, it merely has a more modern vibe. The orchestra has reworked and slightly tweaked the original tune, while the choir "Tenebrae" takes the lead in the new recording, adding a softer and somber tone. Emotions that once stirred fans are now situated in a more pleasant zone.
The most significant change since the Champions League's inception in 1992-1993 is the elimination of its traditional group stage format. Now, the 36 teams (instead of the usual 32) will engage in a single league. After playing eight games, the top eight teams will advance to the round of 16, while the teams ranked 9th to 24th will compete in a new knockout round playoff, cementing a spot in the tournament.
German clubs such as Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig will revel in the elite stage of international soccer in this new format. The entry fee for clubs has shot up to €18.62 million, with an additional €2.1 million per victory (previously €2.8 million), making for lucrative wins.
The allocation of funding has changed significantly. UEFA will distribute €853 million from the pool, while the revenue sources and bonus distribution between the two primary sources remain close. Finances have likely played a significant role in this reform as well, considering the addition of 144 group stage matches, including 40 involving German teams.
Now, let's delve into the new and improved Champions League.
How does the draw work? Very little remains the same. Previously, 32 teams were separated into eight groups of four each, but this is no longer the case. The 36 teams will compete in a league system, playing eight group stage matches – four home games and four away games – against eight different opponents. Each team will face two opponents from each pot, including themselves.
The 36 teams are categorized into four pots based on their UEFA coefficient. Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig are in Pot 1. Champions Bayer Leverkusen graces Pot 2, with returnees VfB Stuttgart joining Pot 4. Being in Pot 1 doesn't provide an edge; instead, each team faces opponents from all pots as UEFA ensures that top teams make it to the group stage.
Matches between teams from the same country will continue to be avoided. Given that three German teams are in Pot 1, German opponents will encounter two of the remaining six: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Inter Milan, and FC Barcelona.
- Pot 1: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, FC Barcelona
- Pot 2: Bayer Leverkusen, Atlético Madrid, Atalanta Bergamo, Juventus Turin, Benfica Lisbon, Arsenal, Club Brugge, Shakhtar Donetsk, AC Milan
- Pot 3: Feyenoord Rotterdam, Sporting Lisbon, PSV Eindhoven, Dinamo Zagreb, FC Salzburg, Lille OSC, Red Star Belgrade, Young Boys Bern, Celtic Glasgow
- Pot 4: Slovan Bratislava, AS Monaco, Sparta Prague, Aston Villa, Bologna, Girona, VfB Stuttgart, Sturm Graz, Stade Brest.
The novelty in the draw: The traditional hand-drawn method for the draw is no longer the only game in town.UEFA acknowledges that considering all possibilities with 1000 balls could take hours, so they use an AI-powered supercomputer from a London-based company. This highly advanced software aims to complete the task in just 35 minutes. The process involves the manual drawing of each club, followed by the computer randomly selecting the remaining opponents and determining the home and away matches for each team.
Possible rival teams for the five German teams could appear like this:
- Bayern Munich: Man City (A), Paris (H), Atlético (A), Atalanta (H), Feyenoord (A), Young Boys (H), Bratislava (A), Monaco (H)
- Borussia Dortmund: Real (H), Liverpool (A), Milan (A), Brugge (H), Lille (A), Salzburg (H), Girona (A), Prague (H)
- RB Leipzig: Inter (A), Barcelona (H), Arsenal (A), Juventus (H), Celtic (A), Red Star (H), Graz (H), Brest (A)
- Bayer Leverkusen: Atlético (H), Atalanta (A), PSG (A), Real (H), Feyenoord (H), Young Boys (A), Aston Villa (H), Bologna (A)
- VfB Stuttgart: Bratislava (H), Monaco (A), Inter (A), Barcelona (H), Milan (A), Brugge (H), Lille (A), Eindhoven (H)
How does it proceed after the group stage? The 36 teams will compete in a league system, resulting in a single table featuring all teams. The top 8 teams after eight matchdays will directly move to the Champions League round of 16. The teams ranked 9-24 will advance to the newly introduced knockout round playoffs. The teams ranked 25-36 will be eliminated.
The teams ranked 9-24 will determine the rest of the round of 16 participants in eight home and away matches. The winners will then progress to the traditional knockout system from the round of 16, aiming to compete in the final in Munich. This year, for the first time, the teams won't be re-drawn for each round, but they will be placed in a tournament tree based on their league phase rankings, similar to tennis or darts.
When will the matches be played? With eight group stage matchdays instead of six, more game dates will be available. Previously, the group stage ended in December, but now it will extend into January. The matches will be played on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 18:45 and 21:00. There are two exceptions: some matches on the first matchday will be played on a Thursday, and all 18 matches will begin simultaneously on the last matchday.
- 1st matchday: 17/18/19 September 2024
- 2nd matchday: 1/2 October 2024
- 3rd matchday: 22/23 October 2024
- 4th matchday: 5/6 November 2024
- 5th matchday: 26/27 November 2024
- 6th matchday: 10/11 December 2024
- 7th matchday: 21/22 January 2025
- 8th matchday: 29 January 2025
- Knockout round playoffs: 11/12 and 18/19 February 2025
- Round of 16: 4/5 and 11/12 March 2025
- Quarterfinals: 8/9 and 15/16 April 2025
- Semifinals: 29/30 April and 6/7 May 2025
- Final: 31 May 2025 in Munich.
How will the Europa League and Conference League operate? Essentially, the same. The Europa League, featuring German teams Frankfurt and Hoffenheim, will mirror the format of the Champions League. However, the Conference League will still have only six group stage matches. The 36 teams will be divided into six groups of six teams each. If 1. FC Heidenheim qualifies for the group stage by winning the playoff against BK Häcken tonight, they will be in Pot 2 and drawn against one team from each pot. They will play three home games and three away games.
Will there be relegation from the Europa League and Conference League once again? No. Eliminated teams will be removed from the competition. This applies to both the Champions League and the Europa League.
Who will take home the Champions League title? Only an AI-powered supercomputer can predict that.
The AI-powered supercomputer now plays a crucial role in the revamped Champions League draw process, completing the task in just 35 minutes – a significant improvement from the traditional hand-drawn method. Despite the advanced technology, the excitement continues to build as top teams like Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig prepare to compete in the group stage.
