As the Champions League approaches its semi-final stage in its debut season under a brand-new format—36 teams instead of 32, and a league system replacing the traditional group stage—UEFA is already evaluating potential tweaks for next season.The governing body is currently collecting feedback from clubs on the changes, and those insights could lead to official proposals during the Club Competitions Committee meeting on May 30 in Munich. Among the key figures involved are Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro and Borussia Dortmund’s Hans-Joachim Watzke, who sits on UEFA’s Executive Committee.PSG vs. ArsenalBarcelona vs. InterThe Champions League semifinals are set ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/ykmhJLK6v4— B/R Football (@brfootball) April 16, 2025 Three major rule changes are under serious consideration:1. Say goodbye to extra time?UEFA is weighing the idea of scrapping extra time altogether in the knockout stages. Instead of 30 additional minutes after a draw, matches would go straight to penalties. The rationale? To ease the physical burden on players in an already packed calendar.🚨 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: UEFA are in talks to change the Champions League next season:➡️ No extra time in knock-out rounds, straight to penalties➡️ Teams who finish in the top 8 in the table will play 2nd leg at home in the quarters and semi finals➡️ No teams from the same… pic.twitter.com/xbaSLMvRBO— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) April 24, 2025 2. More reward for league performanceCurrently, only the Round of 16 offers an advantage to higher-ranked teams in the form of hosting the second leg at home. UEFA may extend that benefit to the quarter-finals and semi-finals. The idea is to reward clubs who finish in the top eight of the league phase by letting them play the decisive second leg at home.This season, the system drew criticism—particularly from Arsenal. Despite finishing third in the league phase, they had to travel to Madrid for the second leg of their quarter-final against Real, who had only entered the knockouts via a playoff. Although Arsenal won both legs, the perceived imbalance sparked debate. Meanwhile, PSG, who finished 15th, will host the second leg of their semi-final against Arsenal.King without king’s manners – protest about the referee before El Clasico3. Limiting early domestic clashesUnder the current format, clubs from the same country can face each other as early as the playoffs and Round of 16. That’s led to early matchups like PSG vs. Brest, Bayern vs. Leverkusen, and Real Madrid vs. Atletico—matchups that, while intriguing, may lack the wider appeal for global audiences and broadcasters.UEFA is now rethinking this approach. Under the previous system, such domestic showdowns were only possible from the quarter-finals onward, which preserved the excitement of a potential “all-national” clash until later in the tournament.##NAJAVA_MECA_8884724##
