About UEFA
The UEFA Champions League is an annual club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and contested by top-division European clubs, deciding the competition winners through a round-robin group stage to qualify for a double-legged knockout format and a single-leg final. It is one of the most prestigious football tournaments in the world and the most prestigious club competition in European football, played by the national league champions (and, for some nations, one or more runners-up) of their national associations.
Introduced in 1955 as the Coupe des Clubs Champions Européens (French for European Champion Clubs’ Cup), and commonly known as the European Cup, it was initially a straight knockout tournament open only to the champions of Europe’s domestic leagues, with its winner reckoned as the European club champion. The competition took on its current name in 1992, adding a round-robin group stage in 1991 and allowing multiple entrants from certain countries since the 1997–1998 season. It has since been expanded, and while most of Europe’s national leagues can still only enter their champion, the strongest leagues now provide up to four teams. Clubs that finish next-in-line in their national league, having not qualified for the Champions League, are eligible for the second-tier UEFA Europa League competition, and from 2021, teams not eligible for the UEFA Europa League will qualify for a new third-tier competition called the UEFA Europa Conference League.
How long is a UEFA game?
The UEFA games are two parts of 45 minutes, stoppage time, and additional time is utilized in UEFA matches. The length of a game will normally associate with roughly two hours.
Quantity of matches in UEFA
Every group plays two matches, and every crew will have the chance to play one match at home. These matches are also known as legs which you may be familiar with if you’re not new to Football. The group that scores more objectives over the two legs advances to the following round and the cycle repeats. If the total score is level, the away objective will be replied which we will discuss later in this article.
Away-Goals Rule
Before, these Knockout Stage ties were chosen by complete (total) objectives, with the main sudden death round being “away objectives,” for example objectives scored at the other group’s home ground. In any case, beginning with the 2021-22 rivalry, the away objectives rule has been supplanted by two 15-minute times of additional time then extra shots if essential.
After this round, which gets you down to the quarterfinals, it’s all arbitrary with regards to who plays whom.
In terms of sports, the UEFA Champions League is considered one of the most esteemed championships. The most prestigious club football championship in the world, the UEFA Champions League, has been held every year since 1955. Not just TV and radio channels, but online streaming platforms never fail to cover this league.
How Long Ago Was the UEFA Champions League First Held?
This championship has been running since the 1955-56 season when it was first staged.
16 teams competed in four knockout stages in the first event, which was designated as the European Cup till 1992. Real Madrid won the inaugural tournament with a 4-3 victory against Reims.
After expanding to 32 teams in 1960, the championship’s structure remained the same, except for an extra round of play added. When the competition was renamed the UEFA Champions League in 1992, UEFA instituted a group stage instead of the previous round.
Four teams were divided into eight groups of four and played three games against each other in a double round-robin fashion between themselves. Those that finished first and second in each group moved on to the knockout stages, where they would face off against each other in the round of 16.
How are Teams picked?
The UEFA credentials of the member associations determine the number of clubs each association may participate in this league. With a higher coefficient, more teams from an association participate in the UEFA Champions League, and the association’s teams have to play in fewer qualifying rounds.
There have been two qualifying “streams” for clubs who do not get direct entry into the Champions League ever since the 2009-10 edition. The two streams are separated among those clubs that qualified for the tournament by winning their domestic league and those who qualified by finishing second to fourth. The top five teams out of each preliminary stream advance to the group stage, where they will face each other in the first round.
As the reigning UCL Champion, the reigning UEL Champion, or as winners of their separate domestic leagues, the other 22 clubs qualified unopposed. One slot is guaranteed for each of the top 12 European leagues in the UEFA coefficient rankings.
How are the 32 Teams Divided?
These 32 teams are divided into four “pots,” with no teams within the same league being drawn against one another. The following criteria are used to allocate the teams for the tie:
- Pot 1 is made up of the Champions League and Europa League winners, as well as the winners of the top 6 UEFA associations. When one of the top 6 associations has a Winners League or Europa League champion, the winners of the 7th and perhaps 8th association are also placed in Pot 1.
- The remaining clubs are allocated according to their previous year UEFA club standings and are located in Pots 2, 3, and 4, respectively.
After that, a team is chosen at random from every eight bowls, resulting in 8 groups of 4 players each.
What Is the Procedure for the Group Stage?
The group stage is a double round-robin style in which 32 teams play against each other. To proceed to the knockout stage, the champions and runners-up from each group compete in a round of 16. Points are used to assess the teams’ rankings. One point for a draw and zero points for a defeat are given for a victory. UEFA’s tie-breaking rules are as follows if the teams are level on points:
- A better record in the group games played between the two teams in question.
- The team with the better goal differential in their group matches.
- The teams in doubt scored more goals in their group matches than their opponents.
- The clubs in doubt have a greater percentage of goals scored while away from their home.
- More away from home goals scored throughout all group games.
- More victories in the group stage.
- More victories away in all of the group games.
Just yellow and red cards are taken into account for calculating the overall number of disciplinary points for all group matches.
What Is the Procedure for the Knockout Stage?
Draw
The draw for the 16th round occurs. It is divided into two pots of 8, with one pot having the champions of each individual group and the other comprising the runner-ups from the group stage of the tournament.
To select the pairings, a club is picked at random from each pot, with the caveat that no preceding round’s winners and runners-up, as well as teams from the very same domestic league, will be paired together again.
Tiebreakers and Knockout Phase Legs
Every round of the knockout stage is made up of two teams, except for the final. In every two games, the teams face each other once at home. Each match is referred to as a “leg” of the tournament. When it comes to the round of 16, the return leg will be hosted by the group champions. Goals scored in each of the two legs determine which team goes to the next stage of the tournament.
If the score is tied after regulation time in the final phase, extra time is contested. A penalty shootout is used if the score is tied, even after extra time.
2021-22: UEFA Champions League Schedule
No significant European teams participated in this tournament, since they all received a ticket into the Group Stage of qualifying.
It will be played in the following order: June 22nd – July 6th – July 20th – July 21st – August 3rd–4th – August 17th–18th
Group Stage
On Tuesday and Wednesday nights, teams alternated between playing at home and away.
September 14th-15th – September 28th-29th – October 19th-20th – November 2nd-3rd- November 23rd-24th
Round of 16
Each team plays one game, and the one with the most goals wins.
- Legs 1: 15th-16th and 22nd-23rd February
- Leg 2: March 8th-9th and 15th-16th
Quarterfinals
Again, the team with the most goals in the last game of the season wins. On March 18th, 2022, the draw for the quarterfinals, semis, and finals will take place.
- Legs 1: 5th-6th April
- Legs 2: 12th-13th April
Semifinals
- Legs 1: 26th-27th April
- Legs 2: 3rd-4th May
Finals
There is a date set for the 2022 Champions League Final is on May 28th.
UEFA Champions League In Short
There are 32 teams in this league, and the winner is proclaimed as the greatest club in Europe after five rounds of competition. The UEFA champion league is one of the most popular football leagues in Europe and its popularity is among football lovers is increasing at a tremendous rate. Not only do fans love to see their favourite player in action, but they also love to bet on league matches and this is where best betting sites like SBO come to play. With a jaw-dropping number of offers of betting markets for football lovers, they can enjoy the game and with the right predictions, they can also make some money.
