Is the UEFA seeding system a joke?
These are the groups:
[quote]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[/quote]
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:
[quote]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[/quote]
My seeding (based on my own opinion of the standard of each team).
[quote]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,[/quote]
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?
[quote]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[/quote]
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:
[quote]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[/quote]
My seeding (based on my own opinion of the standard of each team).
[quote]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,[/quote]
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?
41-45, M
