- Top European club association the UEFA is exploring the possibility of scrapping additional time in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
- European football's governing body is exploring modifications as a means to decrease the playing time for players.
- Players, including Manchester City star Rodri and Heung Min-Son, have expressed concerns regarding the increasing number of matches.
The UEFA Champions League is contemplating comprehensive modifications for the knockout stage of the continent's top football tournament.
A revised format was introduced in the new season with two additional matchdays added to the existing heavy schedule.
The new group stage format had teams compete against eight different opponents, resulting in thrilling matches throughout the tournament.
Champions League rule change
According to The Guardian, the UEFA governing body is considering eliminating extra time in knockout stages in order to shorten the overall playing time for top-tier clubs.
The report suggests that matches that conclude in a tie should proceed directly to penalties, three years after UEFA abolished the away goals rule.
Though the changes are drastic, they will probably not be introduced until the end of the current television rights cycle, which runs until 2027. As a result, the changes could take effect at the start of the 2027-28 campaign.
Extra time has been a source of dispute in European football, with player unions often calling for it to be abolished.
This season, teams in the Champions League, the Europa League, and the Conference League play a minimum of eight games, with teams that advance further in the competition playing even more.
With the introduction of the FIFA Club World Cup, clubs are likely to participate in more games throughout the calendar year, taking into account both international friendly matches and other competitions.
To ease congestion for England's clubs, the Football Association eliminated FA Cup replays, a decision that ignited significant opposition.
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In September, Manchester City midfielder Rodri cautioned that players might go on strike due to a heavy workload of matches for players. He suffered a season-ending ACL injury in September.
From my experience, a player can perform at the highest level in around 40-50 games, he stated via Sky Sports. "This year, we could have 70 or 80 games, but in my humble opinion, I believe that's excessive. We need to prioritize our well-being.
Tottenham Hotspur captain Heung-Min Son echoed Rodri's comments.
"As it is a lot of games, a lot of traveling, so we need to take care of ourselves which can be very challenging at times, and mentally and physically, you're not always prepared,".
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker
Sometimes nobody takes into account the players' thoughts about playing more games," Alisson told BBC Sport. "We may not have much influence, but everyone understands our opinion on playing more games. Everyone's exhausted by it.
The concerns raised by other players and coaches about an increased number of fixtures have also been echoed.
A Supercomputer Powerhouse Forecasts the Champions League Champion
It has been reported previously that a supercomputer predicted Arsenal to win the 2025 Champions League title.
The Gunners have won the competition zero times in their history but are one of the leading teams in European football.
They are also the top contenders heading into the final stage, having had an almost flawless group stage.