I was thinking while watching yesterday that they should make this an annual event from the 1/4 finals onward. Finish the season a month earlier using the traditional European midweek slots then have this knockout competition every May. I'm sure it would be easier to market too so they could recoup any lost invome from a reduced number of games.

Would they all be in a neutral site?

Would be intersting, but in my mind that plays into the hands of the football tourist who could come to the host city and spend big money to watch CL games every day for a week.

Doesn't have to be one host city. The way I see it there's no need for any of the matches to be in even the same country. At the very least the semifinals could be this way, but wouldn't mind the quarterfinals either.

Yeah this has been a huge success for me too. No more cagey affairs, they go all out in that one match

Yeah I’m loving it so far, it’s great entertainment. They’ve often said the CL has eclipsed the World Cup over the last 20 years or so. Ok then, show us what you got!

Quincy Abeyie wrote:

Doesn't have to be one host city. The way I see it there's no need for any of the matches to be in even the same country. At the very least the semifinals could be this way, but wouldn't mind the quarterfinals either.

I like it too Quincy, but good luck convincing the clubs that they should get half as much tv money and gate income from the knockout rounds going forward.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking too. Maybe if it's just the semifinals it's not that big of a loss of income, since they'll still get three normal knockout rounds first. Also, aside from 4-5 clubs, most clubs probably believ their chances in a semifinal are better with a one-off match than with both home and away.

Klaus wrote:

Quincy Abeyie wrote:

Doesn't have to be one host city. The way I see it there's no need for any of the matches to be in even the same country. At the very least the semifinals could be this way, but wouldn't mind the quarterfinals either.

I like it too Quincy, but good luck convincing the clubs that they should get half as much tv money and gate income from the knockout rounds going forward.

Good luck convincing Uefa. It’s not happening even if this is better for everyone
The other benefit of this is the pressure it takes off the schedule. You need a week and a half to finish off these games. You save yourself at least two midweeks when you would’ve had champions league return games. 7 games with so much at stake to end the European season. Who needs the fucking super league?

Starting lineups for Barcelona vs Bayern

Barcelona - Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Jordi Alba; Sergi Roberto, Busquets, Arturo Vidal, Frenkie De Jong; Messi, Luis Suarez

Bayern - Neuer; Kimmich, Boateng, Alaba, Davies; Thiago, Goretzka, Perisic, Gnabry, Muller; Lewandowski

2-1 Bayern. Lewa to score anytime. Share your winnings with Claudius.

I hope Bayern destroy Barcelona. A nice 3 or 4 goal shellacking will do me fine.

Need Bayern to win because Barca will be torn apart by City in semis

Amazing from Muller. Right after a good Barca chance, might be entertaining.

Get in. Punish the devils
Beautiful goal

Alaba with a reverse Boateng

Mustafi will have been heartened by some of the displays by defenders of top clubs

Wow, this is brilliant defending.