champions league

Surely LoI clubs want the grass trampled in front of them to progress in European Competition themselves. So the success of Anorthosis and BATE Borisov in their first leg match (so far/only) is a benefit to clubs who compete at the 1st qualifying stage (q1).

While both clubs can be considered underdogs, I think that UEFA are happy to promote the underdog in the CL. UEFA expand both competitions for the middle-ranked clubs aswell and if the middle clubs can be overtaken by experienced sides from below, so be it.

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Originally Posted by pete

I don't think BATE results affects us as they are a fair bit behind us & have to split their points with the rest of Belarus who are not contributing much. I will be cheering them on to the group stages anyway as gives hope that small nations can partake in the CL. Nice two fingers to Uefa who want the biggest clubs there.

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What makes you say that? The qualification criteria are actually pretty liberal and favourable to the smaller teams. It's not so long ago that a previous administration excluded the champions of countries like Ireland from the European Cup altogether.

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Originally Posted by Sheridan

What makes you say that? The qualification criteria are actually pretty liberal and favourable to the smaller teams. It's not so long ago that a previous administration excluded the champions of countries like Ireland from the European Cup altogether.

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System favours the biggest countries with multiple teams. For example english teams cannot play each other the 1/4 finals which means evenly lowest ranked English teams have advantage over say Portugal or any country with one participant. Spain & Italy have same advantage. If Everton or someone gets through as 4th English side they have an advantage over teams with same ranking from smaller countries.

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Originally Posted by Sheridan

What makes you say that? The qualification criteria are actually pretty liberal and favourable to the smaller teams. It's not so long ago that a previous administration excluded the champions of countries like Ireland from the European Cup altogether.

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I was under the impression that lower ranked teams accepted money for not participating in the CL back then, but i could be wrong

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Originally Posted by bennocelt

I was under the impression that lower ranked teams accepted money for not participating in the CL back then, but i could be wrong

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UEFA compensated clubs for travelling ( Clubs still receive money from UEFA) but the main trade-off was the takeover and expansion of the Inter-toto cup.
http://www.uefa.com/competitions/int...ory/index.html
A betting competition for Central European clubs during the summer.

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Originally Posted by pete

I don't think BATE results affects us as they are a fair bit behind us & have to split their points with the rest of Belarus who are not contributing much. I will be cheering them on to the group stages anyway as gives hope that small nations can partake in the CL. Nice two fingers to Uefa who want the biggest clubs there.

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In fairness UEFA have changed the CL last qualifying round so that , I think, a team that has won their league can only be knocked out by a team that has also won it's league
ie Liverpool wouldn't be playing Standard and Fiorentina playing Slavia for a place in the CL. Rather Liverpool would play (for example) Fiorentina and Standard v Slavia
A good change i think.