The UEFA season isn’t too far away and as one of the biggest football tournaments, you can expect a lot of people to tune in, in a variety of different ways. Whether you’re a fan, frequent your team’s games and have been following for years, or you’re just looking to learn a little more about what the UEFA Champions League is – you’ll find everything you need to know about the next season ready for the first matches in September 2021.
UEFA Champions League Overview
Before we get into the latest news, let’s quickly go over some key points of the league itself to refresh your memory (or give you an idea of how it all works, if you’re new).
Which teams get to play?
The qualifiers consist of 5 rounds before the group stages can begin and these are the preliminary, first, second and third, before playoffs. Excluding the preliminary rounds, the qualifiers follow a two-legged knockout system, with the highest-scoring team in the two matches going through.
A team’s placement in the qualifiers will be determined by their rank in the UEFA Association’s Club Co-Efficient Rankings and their domestic league rank from the last season. Additionally, teams who finish in the top 4 in La Liga, the Premier League, Bundesliga, and Serie A will all earn automatic qualification, as well as the winners of the previous season’s league and Europa League.
What is the general format of the league?
After the qualifiers, 32 teams will begin the group stages, which begin in September. This stage has 8 groups with 4 clubs, with each team playing against the rest of the group. The top two sides of each group will then move onto the next round, the knockout phase, which consists of 16 teams (and the third-place teams will move to the UEFA Europa League).
From this point up until the finals, the matches are played home and away, while the final is hosted at a pre-determined stadium (which is chosen nearly two years before the finals actually take place).
How can I bet on the Champions League?
While there are several bookmakers you could visit to place wagers on the upcoming matches, you may find it easier to simply go online. There are some nice deals like the virgin bet promo code offer available on the web and in most cases, it isn’t too difficult to sign up. To give you a helping hand with choosing the right betting site ready for the season, here are a few insider tips:
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- Search around online for some of the top bookies in the market, remember to keep in mind a range of different factors for your choice, such as usability, odds, support and more
- Consider what you want from a bookmaker, as well as any deal-breakers that might turn you off
- If you want to have the option to bet on more than just the UEFA League, look at which other sports and bet types are on offer
- Find out what other people think of the website. This can range from the odds to user-friendliness; it all counts when making the final decision
Better yet, most bookies will offer some pretty good deals and bet incentives during the UEFA season. This makes it even easier for you to get involved and potentially earn a little bit of cash off your favourite team’s victories. Who wouldn’t want that little extra bonus to make the win even sweeter?
The UEFA League’s history
Originally known as the European Cup, this prestigious tournament first began in 1955 with just 16 teams taking part. In the early 1990s, it became the Champion’s League, and as of 2019 there are currently a total of 79 clubs all hoping to get through the qualifiers and have a chance to compete in the season.
There have been several Premier League winners over the many years of UEFA’s existence; Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea have all enjoyed victory (Manchester United and Liverpool have each earned two wins, the most recent being the latter team, in 2019).
Information for UEFA 2021-2022
Rule changes
One of the most notable changes to the rule set for the upcoming season is that there will no longer be an away goal rule. If you didn’t know, this was used to sway a tiebreaking decision where the team that scored the most goals away from home would be the winner. Instead, ties after the second leg will go to extra time and if necessary a penalty shoot-out, regardless of how many away goals have been scored.
When will it take place?
While some of the qualifying rounds have already begun, the playoffs won’t start until the 17/18th and 24/25th of August and the group stages will begin mid-September. These will go on for the rest of 2021 and the next phase will begin in February 2022.
Which Premier League teams will play?
As usual, the top four teams from the Premier League will automatically qualify for the group stage, and two UEL places are given to the 5th placed team in the Premier League or winners of the FA Cup.
Currently, the automatic qualifiers for the upcoming season from the Premier League include Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United. While there are still the qualifiers to go through, the highest amount of English teams that can compete in the UEFA Championships is seven.
Where will the final be taking place?
As mentioned earlier, the stadium for the finale is set long before the match is played. The venue for the 2022 finals is the Saint Petersburg Stadium on Krestovsky Island. This spaceship-inspired site designed by Kisho Kurokawa is the perfect destination for the conclusion to this UEFA Champions League season.
It won’t be long now until the playoffs start and the excitement of this season’s UEFA League can begin, so if you want to cheer on your favourite team now is the perfect time to get ready.
