Champions league 2018-2021

[cushynumber 25,178]

For the UEFA Champions League  2018–2021 cycle, only six teams will qualify for the group stage via the qualification rounds and any Scottish champions enter at the first qualifying round - of which there is now 4.
It is getting ever more difficult and begs the question - have we seen the last of Scottish representation at the group stage of the CL?

[ForeverAndEver 71,470]

Will depend on the coefficient, but not necessarily, just depends on your draw. Also, said it a couple of times recently on here but finishing first in Scotland and going through 4 qualifiers then 4th in England etc going straight to the groups is nothing short of embarrassing for the 'Champions' league 

[cushynumber 25,178]

15 minutes ago, Rangers_no1 said:

People act like qualification has got harder this year, but actually it hasn't. One extra round against cannon foder does not make it any more difficult. Had the scum scored a goal late last night they would have made group stages as the next round was pretty straight forward. They got a bad draw against Athens, it's not like they are coming up against Ajax etc. 

Teams in Q3 and Q4 are all beatable IMO.

3

all the teams are probably beatable by a few others, but it's doing it over 4 rounds when the pressure is on. I don't think its a coincidence they failed this year when Gerrard is in and we are looking good and the CL would have been a godsend to them. Pressure has various forms.

[Goianegra 4,682]

It will eventually become invitational and only the money rich clubs will be allowed to compete.

[Dado'sMulls 2,617]

How many get in via the qualifiers the now? 

[cushynumber 25,178]

1 minute ago, Goianegra said:

It will eventually become invitational and only the money rich clubs will be allowed to compete.

thats the next step - i think that will happen from 2021

[cushynumber 25,178]

Just now, Dado'sMulls said:

How many get in via the qualifiers the now? 

6

[Gman36 3,455]

1 hour ago, Rangers_no1 said:

People act like qualification has got harder this year, but actually it hasn't. One extra round against cannon foder does not make it any more difficult. Had the scum scored a goal late last night they would have made group stages as the next round was pretty straight forward. They got a bad draw against Athens, it's not like they are coming up against Ajax etc. 

Teams in Q3 and Q4 are all beatable IMO.

Of course its gotten harder. Two extra games plus an extra qualifying round means the more chance of coming across a decent team at some point. 

I seriously doubt we'll ever get near it again if it continues to move in the direction it's going. 

[Gman36 3,455]

43 minutes ago, Rangers_no1 said:

Some people obviously don't understand what the 'extra two games' are... It's two extra games in QUALIFYING ROUND 1, minnows of European football. Scum didn't break sweat in that round this year.

Also seems forgotten that the 'champions route' over the last 2+ years has seen 5 clubs make the group stages of the CL, this year it dropped down to 4. Hardly a difference and certainly not in a way ti make it 'harder'...sides are practically same each year.

A 20% reduction in places, and an extra round where on average better teams will get through and weaker teams get put out, means on average you'll get drawn against tougher teams and are more likely to slip up. It's statistics. 

[bluedylan 11,555]

Money talks the elite clubs in years to come will play CL games in Asia The Middle East and North America.These clubs through TV rights do not need a home crowd putting money through the turnstiles, for example it was reported this week that practically all EPL clubs made huge profits without taking into account their gate revenue.Bournemouths gate receipts accounted for 4% of their turnover of 136million...yep 136 million a team that plays in front of 11500 spectators,their profit was 26 million...Their chairman is really going to back teams from Scotland joining the EPL?Teams with a rich footballing history and strong fanbase like Rangers and Ajax are fucked by geography and will never in my view be able to compete with those playing in the super leagues of England Germany Spain France and Italy.Our league like that of the Netherlands etc will stagnate unless we breakaway and form an Atlantic league of sorts and then negotiate with UEFA places for say the top 3 of said league that year to be granted qualification into the CL group stages the following season.

[Terry Hurlock Loyal 12,133]

4 hours ago, cushynumber said:

For the UEFA Champions League  2018–2021 cycle, only six teams will qualify for the group stage via the qualification rounds and any Scottish champions enter at the first qualifying round - of which there is now 4.
It is getting ever more difficult and begs the question - have we seen the last of Scottish representation at the group stage of the CL?

It's getting more like a closed franchise league like the NFL :  UEFA should stop fannying about and just have a European midweek league of 4 tiers.

Offer promotion and relegation and a pyramid entry to each tier (based on domestic league entry and coefficient), as per the the Nation's league.

Then have a straight one leg KO competition cup with no seeding (open draw) just like the FA/Scottish Cup. Higher tier clubs enter at different stages.

[harlands plater 16,975]

4 hours ago, Goianegra said:

It will eventually become invitational and only the money rich clubs will be allowed to compete.

And clubs with state-of-the-art disco lights, surely?