Is the UEFA seeding system a joke?
These are the groups:
The Champions League Groups look hugely imbalanced. Spurs and Celtic each have a massive task to get to the next rounds but Liverpool have a group that they can win and Man Utd have a group which they should win.
I believe UEFA do this so that all the top 8 countries have an 'A' seed but it does seem to imbalance the competition. Is this fair and should it change?
The official seeding:
My seeding (based on my own opinion of the standard of each team).
Obviously, no seeding system is perfect. Monaco has lost half its team from last season and you can't account for that. RB Leipzig are in pot 4 though because they have no European experience. They finished second in the German League and are better than some seeded teams.
What changes would you make, if any?
Group A: Benfica, Manchester United, Basel, CSKA Moscow
Group B: Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain, Anderlecht, Celtic
Group C: Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, Roma, Qarabag
Group D Juventus, Barcelona, Olympiakos, Sporting
Group E: Spartak Moscow, Sevilla, Liverpool, Maribor
Group F: Shakhtar Donetsk, Manchester City, Napoli, Feyenoord
Group G: Monaco, Porto, Besiktas, RB Leipzig
Group H: Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham, Apoel
Group B: Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain, Anderlecht, Celtic
Group C: Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, Roma, Qarabag
Group D Juventus, Barcelona, Olympiakos, Sporting
Group E: Spartak Moscow, Sevilla, Liverpool, Maribor
Group F: Shakhtar Donetsk, Manchester City, Napoli, Feyenoord
Group G: Monaco, Porto, Besiktas, RB Leipzig
Group H: Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham, Apoel
The Champions League Groups look hugely imbalanced. Spurs and Celtic each have a massive task to get to the next rounds but Liverpool have a group that they can win and Man Utd have a group which they should win.
I believe UEFA do this so that all the top 8 countries have an 'A' seed but it does seem to imbalance the competition. Is this fair and should it change?
The official seeding:
Seeded: Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Benfica, Chelsea, Shakhtar Donetsk, Monaco, Spartak Moscow
Pot 2: Barcelona, Atletico, Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla, Man City, FC Porto, Man United
Pot 3: Napoli, Tottenham, FC Basel, Olympiakos, Anderlecht, Liverpool, Roma, Besiktas
Pot 4: Celtic, CSKA Moscow, Sporting CP, APOEL Nicosia, Feyenoord, NK Maribor, FK Qarabag, RB Leipzig
Pot 2: Barcelona, Atletico, Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla, Man City, FC Porto, Man United
Pot 3: Napoli, Tottenham, FC Basel, Olympiakos, Anderlecht, Liverpool, Roma, Besiktas
Pot 4: Celtic, CSKA Moscow, Sporting CP, APOEL Nicosia, Feyenoord, NK Maribor, FK Qarabag, RB Leipzig
My seeding (based on my own opinion of the standard of each team).
Seeded: Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Chelsea, Barcelona, Atletico, Paris Saint-Germain, Man United
Pot 2: Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla, Man City, Tottenham, Liverpool, RB Leipzig, Monaco.
Pot 3: Napoli, Shakhtar Donetsk, Spartak Moscow, FC Porto, Roma, CSKA Moscow, Celtic, FC Basel,
Pot 4: Sporting CP, APOEL Nicosia, Feyenoord, NK Maribor, FK Qarabag, Anderlecht, Besiktas, Olympiakos,
Pot 2: Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla, Man City, Tottenham, Liverpool, RB Leipzig, Monaco.
Pot 3: Napoli, Shakhtar Donetsk, Spartak Moscow, FC Porto, Roma, CSKA Moscow, Celtic, FC Basel,
Pot 4: Sporting CP, APOEL Nicosia, Feyenoord, NK Maribor, FK Qarabag, Anderlecht, Besiktas, Olympiakos,
Obviously, no seeding system is perfect. Monaco has lost half its team from last season and you can't account for that. RB Leipzig are in pot 4 though because they have no European experience. They finished second in the German League and are better than some seeded teams.
What changes would you make, if any?