I Am Not Happy With New Champions League Format – Chelsea Coach Thomas Tuchel

The Blues boss thinks Europe’s elite competition has been changed for the worse and it went under the radar amid focus on the Super League last week.

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is against changes to the Champions League, which will see clubs playing more fixtures in the group stage.

The Blues are already set to complete a 58 or 59-game season this year and that total would be increased in future, with four extra matches added to the group phase of the Champions League from 2024.

Along with UEFA’s revamped Nations League and FIFA’s new Club World Cup tournament proposals, Tuchel believes that players at the top clubs are being pushed beyond their physical limits.

What has Tuchel said?
“I am not sure if I like it because I can only see many more games in the schedule that we have. It is very hard for me to get excited about it,” Tuchel said ahead of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.

“With these discussions about the Super League, we forget that we now have a new format in the Champions League. Did they ask any coach about it? I don’t think so. Did they ask any players about it? I don’t think so.

“We have a Nations League, a new championship for the clubs, so much more stuff and so many more games, European Championships in the summer, it is just more and more games. Who should play these games?

“At the same time, we have only three substitutes per game here in the Premier League. No, I am not happy about this format.”