UCL - Last 16 - Potential Fixtures

[GlasgowBandit]

Given the structure of the Champions League is it fair that the English teams still left in the competition only have 5 potential ties in the last 16 compared to some clubs who can face 7 different opponents?  There are teams who can only face 6 sets of opponents also and I find this unfair as well.  I propose that the last 16 of the CL should just be a straigh forward names out a hat or 1st place team in group A should face 2nd in Group B and so on.

I know its all about the commercial aspect but fans will tune into the CL no matter who is playing, all the current system does is favour teams from Italy, England and Spain its bad enough that some of these countries have 4 representatives in the first place.

RANT OVER!!

Anyway here are the potential games for the last 16.

[TightEnd]

why is it unfair?

surely its desirable for most fans to keep sides from the same country apart?

[lazaroonie]

why is it unfair?

surely its desirable for most fans to keep sides from the same country apart?

but why, its going to happen at some point ?

Arguably it is better to get the same country ties out of the way earlier in the competition. A semi final between Liverpool and Chelsea hardly gets the juices going when they have already played each other 2/3 times in  domestic competition.

[TightEnd]

fair enough, but I don't regard it as unfair.

[GlasgowBandit]

why is it unfair?

surely its desirable for most fans to keep sides from the same country apart?

Thats the part thats unfair all it does is give an advantage to the bigger nations so that in the end the finalists will come from either Spain, Italy or England if thats what they hope to achieve then why not just have a 12 team league with the big 4 from these nations!!

Also i'd love to watch two Serie A Clubs, 2 English clubs and 2 Spannish clubs all face each other in the last 16 it gives some of the other teams a greater chance of progression. 

[boldie]

why is it unfair?

surely its desirable for most fans to keep sides from the same country apart?

Thats the part thats unfair all it does is give an advantage to the bigger nations so that in the end the finalists will come from either Spain, Italy or England if thats what they hope to achieve then why not just have a 12 team league with the big 4 from these nations!!

Also i'd love to watch two Serie A Clubs, 2 English clubs and 2 Spannish clubs all face each other in the last 16 it gives some of the other teams Celtic a greater chance of progression. 

FYP

[GlasgowBandit]

why is it unfair?

surely its desirable for most fans to keep sides from the same country apart?

Thats the part thats unfair all it does is give an advantage to the bigger nations so that in the end the finalists will come from either Spain, Italy or England if thats what they hope to achieve then why not just have a 12 team league with the big 4 from these nations!!

Also i'd love to watch two Serie A Clubs, 2 English clubs and 2 Spannish clubs all face each other in the last 16 it gives some of the other teams Celtic a greater chance of progression. 

FYP

I don't expect Celtic to get past the last 16 mate, to be honest at the beginning of the comp all I hope for is we put up a decent show and dont embarass ourselves, ohhh aye and get further than Rangers   All thats been achieved, ideally we will get a team that we can give a game in the last 16 and put up a show.  And who knows with a wee bit of luck and the first game at home, if WGS shows a little bit of ambition at home this year we may be able to take a result away and play for something in the 2nd leg.


Anyway back to my original point about the draw being unfair for the last 16 don't you agree? 

[The Baron]

I think I agree with Bandit. I'd rather see a mixture of teams later on in the competition.

It seems to happen quite a lot where 3/4 teams come from one country in the semi-final stage.

Last year with England, 2003 with the Italians and 2000 with the Spaniards. Surely it can be formatted better by simply letting the knockout stages be completely random?

I know it's a revenue loser (as English teams and Spain's top 2 are watched a lot more worldwide than other clubs) but it'd make for a more unbiased competition.

[Teacake]

Yup your own so far Tighty, lets face it they are not kept apart for sporting reasons

[TightEnd]

Yup your own so far Tighty, lets face it they are not kept apart for sporting reasons

for TV reasons I assume

[GlasgowBandit]

Yup your own so far Tighty, lets face it they are not kept apart for sporting reasons

for TV reasons I assume

But we'd all still tune in wouldn't we?

[boldie]

actually..keeping them apart is fairer on the smaller nations as it doesn't guarantee a country like spain or england a team through to the next round for which the country would get more points as a country..which equates to more places in the Championsleague.

If Celtic do well in the CL Rangers profit as well as Scotland as a footballing nation gets more points and this equates to more places in the CL.

[Teacake]

 

[fergus8]

so its

chelski manu milan inter barca real sevilla porto

                               v
 
liverpool arsenal fenerbache lyon shalke roma olympiakos *bye*

[Teacake]

Celtics chance of drawing of team on Friday

Man Utd 19.7%
Chelsea 18.8%
Inter Milan 13.4%
Porto 12.5%
Sevilla 12.5%
Real Madrid 11.5%
Barcelona 11.5%
AC Milan 0%



Rangers chance

Man Utd 0%
Chelsea 0%
Inter Milan 0%
Porto 0%
Sevilla 0%
Real Madrid 0%
Barcelona 0%
AC Milan 0%