UEFA is planning major rule changes to football.
These updates could have a big impact on Arsenal next season. UEFA is currently reviewing the newly introduced Champions League format as the competition approaches the semi-final stage. This season marked the first use of the expanded.
The Champions League was bigger than ever before this season. The competition was revamped to incluide 36 teams as opposed to the previous 24, with a league phase brought in instead of a group stage.
Rather than having eight groups of four, with each team playing everyone else in their group home and away, the 36 teams were drawn against eight other clubs for four home games and four away games.
It was a league phase, with the positions changing all the time and the top eight at the end of the league going straight through to the last 16 and the teams finishing from 9th to 24th meeting in a play-off round to determine the other eight clubs to make it through to the knockouts.
The tournament has been deemed to be a success, but there could be more changes on the way.
UEFA are already discussing possible changes to next season’s format of the Champions League.
It is understood that any adjustments could be decided on 30 May by the Club Competitions Committee. In the meantime, they’re gathering opinions from clubs.
The report has shared three points that are on the agenda when it comes to potential changes.