European Competition Fiasco

[Five and In]

How does everybody feel about the fiasco regarding venues for this weeks ties?
Obviously, lockdowns have made it really difficult, but is there any real point in carrying on with this seasons competitions?

This week, the Champions League matches between Atletico Madrid v Chelsea is in Romania while, Borrusia Monchengladbach v Man City and RB Leipzig v Liverpool are being played in Hungary due to travel restrictions.

In the Europa League, Wolfsberger v Tottenham is also being played in Hungary while Benfica v Arsenal and Real Sociedad v Man Utd have been moved to Italy, while Arsenal's second leg will be played in Greece.
Molde v Hoffenheim will play in Spain.

I'm not a great fan of the current European format anyway, especially where Champions League losers drop into the Europa League to keep clubs happy, and would always prefer one team per country in The Champions League....the actual Champions, but that's another conversation.

With home and away ties being problematic at present, should all ties not be played as a one off match on neutral soil for the remainder of the competitions, should we scrap them completely this season or just muddle on with it?

[RoddyN]

Chelsea's match against Atletico is actually in Bucharest not Budapest but your point is well noted.

[Five and In]

RoddyN wrote:

Chelsea's match against Atletico is actually in Bucharest not Budapest but your point is well noted.

Oops! Schoolboy error....ammended.

[redhel]

Totally agree, but what I think is most ridiculous is the Arsenal tie for example. BOTH legs being played in neutral countries. No actual 'home' advantage for either team, what a complete waste of time all round. Just play a one-off game. Obviously we all know it's about the money, but madness imo. I heard a rumour that Liverpool's home leg would also be switched to Budapest but not sure that's happening now. If it did, how ridiculous 2 teams flying to Budapest twice.

[Merseman]

With the exception of Molde v Hoffenheim - which is due to quarantine time for them getting in to Norway being prohibitive - all the switches are due to Britons being barred from entering countries in question and no exemption for elite sports. So banning British teams would be more likely than ending whole lot.

However clubs and fans, plus TV / sponsors, wouldn't wish either.

Arsenal v Benfica is especially odd with both ties at neutral venue. It could have been settled in a single tie. This is due to our bar on Portugal / Brazil. Scotland Women v Portugal Women is now going to Cyprus for this reason.


What it does raise is whether 24 countries jetting about 11 cities, for Euros in June, is realistic: London, Glasgow, Dublin, Copenhagen, 6 in continental Europe, St Petersburg, Baku.

Nevermind thoughts of having some fans too.

[garyspain]

Five and In wrote:

RoddyN wrote: Chelsea's match against Atletico is actually in Bucharest not Budapest but your point is well noted. Oops! Schoolboy error....ammended.

Maybe not as bad as these Athletic Bilbao fans who missed their chance to see their club in a European Final

https://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/athletic-bilbao-fans-miss-europa-league-final-after-mixing-bucharest-budapest-3172821

[Goonerak]

Arsenal's 'home' tie is actually further away from London than their 'away' tie. Also, for the first leg which is Benfica's 'home' tie, the venue is closer to Arsenal's home ground than Benfica's.

[seand]

Clearly it's just about maximising TV revenue, but it's an absolute joke. UK, Portugal and Germany are understandably trying to restrict movement, so you've got clubs from those countries meeting up in third party countries instead.
If we do have to continue with international travel for something as unimportant as football then at least we could knock it down to one leg. They could spread them out so the TV stations get 8 different slots for the 8 ties.

[CodeXIII]

Sadly, it all boils down to cash and contracts.
UEFA (and the clubs) don't want to refund any TV or sponsor money so they'll jump through hoops.
On paper it's ridiculous but when there's seven or eight zeros involved they'd play in Dubai or Timbuktu to be honest!!!

I mean we wouldn't want any of the starving players to go without a new Bugatti or Porche for the missus would we?

The rubbish served up on Sky, Prime and BT is one step up from watching park football training sessions. Boring, pointless and just ticking boxes so the money keeps swirling around.