The Champions League rules of engagement – What’s different?
Not the Champions League tournament we’ve come accustomed to, courtesy of the pandemic. What’s new in the European football zoo?
We’ve seen a host of changes and adjustments to the game we love. From no fans being allowed to disinfecting the match ball with sanitiser, all new regulations put in place to ensure the safety of every person taking part to make sure football continues because the show must go on.
We have exactly two days and one night left before getting into Champions League action. The remainder of the tournament is set to commence from August 8, this Friday. But with the tourney in eyes’ reach, we must dive into the changes and how it makes it anybody’s game again.
Adding to the excitement, teams are off the back of their respective campaigns. Some have gained the necessary edge after either winning the league or qualifying for next season’s European competitions. Others must lift their pride after failing at securing a place with Europe’s elite and must make this one count.
New rules for the Champions League return
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Situating the game
As the famous verse of Eminem in the movie 8 Mile goes, “You only have one shot do not miss your chance to blow. This opportunity comes once in a lifetime”, so will it be for all the teams ending this season’s top club competition.
One game, no second leg, all or nothing in 90 plus minutes of football. A bit dramatic to say the least but the reality of what needs to happen to achieve gold this season. It’s a long way from March when the last fixture was played, but the same threat remains in COVID-19.
Making sure the risk remains low in the resumption of football travelling will be cut out completely, with all clubs playing in the same country and a couple of venues in one city. But this will only occur after the four unfinished round of 16 games are played out in the home locations of the respective clubs.
That means… It’s a trip to Allianz Arena for Frank Lampard and his Chelsea side. A journey to Camp Nou for Napoli. A tough fight for Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium and chance for Lyon to stop the Serie A champions at the Allianz Stadium.
Once the final Round of 16 encounters are decided, it’s off to Portugal where all quarter-finals and semi-final encounters will be played in Lisbon. The Estádio José Alvalade, home to Sporting CP is one venue that will be used for the quarter-finals and semi-finals.
After that, the final and the other location for the knockout rounds will be placed at the home of Benfica, Estádio Sport Lisboa e Benfica. So every team now doesn’t necessarily need to lose themselves in the moment but they do need to own it and of course not miss their chance to blow.
"Can clubs register new players? Yes, teams can register a maximum of three new ‘List A’ players. But there are a couple of caveats:Each squad is still limited to 25 List A players (players can be removed to make room);Players must have been already registered and eligible to play for the club at domestic level since 3 February or in any case by no later than before the first leg of the round of 16 as initially scheduled for the relevant team. (Via: uefa.com)"
Substitutions in fives, please
As per domestic league fixtures, the European cups will show the same leniency regarding player substitution. They will all be allowed the new total of five players. However, it will come with a twist.
As per the UEFA, clubs will only be allowed to make subs during three specific times. These times are after the regular 90 minutes and if clubs go into extra time. With all this in place, it sounds like exciting times ahead of us in the last piece of action to finally shut down the 2019-2020 European football season.
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For more on the rules click here.