Questions about UEFA/Champion's League
 

I use to live in Europe and always loved soccer/football. I grew up watching Platini, Maradona, Beckenbauer, Rossi, etc and I'm getting back into it now with the UEFA Champion's League playoffs.

I'm a bit confused how the whole thing works. First, how do the qualifications work to get into the Champion's league? The top teams from each country/league? Second, when does the actual 'season' start? I noticed they played for a few months in 2006 then stopped for a few months and then started again around last month. Im confused about the 'schedule'. Lastly, what happens if both teams end up tied on the aggregate after the two games? ie, what if ManU and Milan end up 3-3 on aggregate after next week? Penalties? If there is a link explaining all this spam away!

Thanks...should be a exciting 2nd leg this week! :thumbsup

1. Qualificiation is like this: The very top teams automatically qualify, and the couple of teams below them go into an early playoff with teams from other nations to see who gets in. In the top leagues, such as Italy and England, the top 2 teams automatically go into the Champions League. The third and fourth teams go into a playoff and compete with third- and fourth-placed teams from other leagues for a few remaining spots. Not every leagues has 4 Champs Leagues spots. In Germany, for example, only the top 3 teams are eligible.

2. The Champs League season qualifying (for third- and fourth-placed teams) begins a little bit before the major leagues start. That's why big teams like AC Milan would definitely rather finish 2nd than 3rd, so they don't have to rush their players back for the early rounds of the Champions League. The Champs League proper's schedule runs along the same lines as the major European leagues, from about September to May. After the group stages, there's a winter break, when they stop playing for a couple of months. They pick up again when the weather is better.

3. If there's a tie over two games, away goals count more. For example, last week Manchester United beat AC Milan at home, 3x2. That means AC Milan has 2 away goals. If AC Milan wins at home 1x0 or 2x1, the aggregate score would be ties 3x3 or 4x4, but Milan would go to the final on the basis of having scored more away goals. A clearer example: A few years ago, Milan and Inter played in the semifinal. They tied 0x0 when Milan was the home team and 1x1 when Inter was the home team, meaning the aggregate over the two legs was 1x1 and Milan went through because it had scored an away goal.

Perfect...thanks a bunch! :thumbsup :thumbsup

Oh, if there's still a tie after a two-legged matchup (if both games ended 2x2, for example) then there would be 30 minutes of extra time. If still tied after extra time, penalties.

yeah figured standard soccer/FIFA rules, etc. Thanks again :thumbsup

Qualifications are based on eac countries points standing. The more points you have the more teams from your main division are allowed to take part. The champions of every league in Europe qualify. Most leagues second placed teams qualify too, but in big leages like Italy, Spain and England they get 4 teams per season.

First of all there is a knockout phase to get rid of the shitty teams. Then you have the group stages where 32 of the top teams play a mini league. Top 2 go through to another knockout stage. In this stage its two matches, one at home one away. In this stage the away goals rulle comes into effect. Using Man Utd and Milan as an example. Milan scored two goals in Utd's home leg, now if Milan win 1-0 they go through as away goals count as double in the event of a draw over two legs.

If a match finishes 1-1 in both legs, it goes to extra time and penalties if needed.

That pretty much sums it all up.

Celtic have to play a qualifying round again for next seasons Champions League... :disgust

got the format down now thanks... :thumbsup

That is a bit shitty, even I admit to that. Maybe with Scotlands recent rise in FIFA ranking it may help swing them towards an automatic Champions League spot? Just a thought...

Yeah, but i don't think that will affect anything untill the seasons after Champions League.

The rules for the next one have already been set, apparently.

It sucks when you win your own league by a mile, and have to qualify, yet teams from other countries can finish 4th, and get in easier...