Get used to it: Once a year, possibly always in late January, the Champions League, now in a new format, will have a superquarta.
It will be the day of the final round of the group stage, with 18 matches happening simultaneously. In this first edition of the new European Champions League, 16 of these games are worth something, and 25 of the 36 teams have to fight.
Thus, from 5 pm (Brasília time) this Wednesday (29), the ball will roll in 18 different stages of ten different countries.
It promises to be that afternoon (night in Europe) where the viewer, seeing a specific game, will have to be aware of several others, to know who qualifies, who qualifies and gets a rest, and who ends up eliminated.
In the new Champions, with 36 teams and no longer 32, the phase with eight groups (of four each, with each team acting six times, in round trip clashes) was extinguished. Now there is a single group, and participants play eight matches, never repeating an opponent.
The table works in the running points formula. The top eight are rightly classified to the round of 16, where they will wait for an opponent who will come from the playoffs played among those who end from 9th to 24th position. The others (25 to 36th) are out, will have to wait for the performance this season to find out whether or not they will have a place in the next Champions.
With 24 offered to stay in the competition, it was expected that the countries competing for the strongest alloys (Germany, Italy, England, France and Spain) to qualify without major problems. It was not what you saw.
The Superquarta arrive with a place assured in the round of 16 only two clubs: Liverpool (with seven wins in seven games) and Barcelona (six wins, a defeat). Among the nine already eliminated are the Italian Bologna and Spanish Girona, sensations in their national championships in 2023/2024, and German Leipzig.
No less than 16 teams go to the field to try one of the remaining six vacancies for the round knockouts, which would give them two weeks off in a very tight calendar-a very welcome relief.
Those who cannot try to keep up to position 24 in the table in order to proceed with Champions.
At this time, 18 teams are sure of not eliminating – the biggest surprise is the Scottish Celtic. Six others (including forces such as Portuguese Benfica and Sporting and French PSG) are at risk of not moving forward.
Perhaps the duel of greatest interest, even though it is not a clash between two top clubs, is Manchester City x Brugge.
The English champion, led by the super -technical PEP Guardiola, is experiencing a rare instability phase and occupies the 25th place at Champions. You need to win the Belgians (who are in 20th and also want a place) to qualify. If the starry Man City does not pass, it will be shameful.
In Superquarta, only two matches are worth nothing, because between teams already eliminated: Sturm Graz x Leipzig and Young Boys x Red Star.
Even those who have done the best, Liverpool and Barcelona, who should go to the field packed with reserve, will play a relevant role, as the results of their games will define the future of their opponents. The Reds visit Dutch PSV, who can still be eliminated, and Barça receives Italian Atalanta, interested in the direct place for the round of 16.
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