New UCL Changes Make Top Seeding Pointless

By Yoshiki Matsunaga on October 9, 2014

UEFA have put forth a plan to change the seeding system for the UEFA Champions League. The revamped system will see the group stages favor domestic champions rather than the top performers in past Champions League competitions in pot one. The proposed change to the seeding will no doubt alter the dynamics of the group stages for the worst.

Although the new system is still in the proposal stage, the future system will place the UEFA Champions League winner of the previous year and the seven domestic champions from the highest rated domestic leagues in the prestigious pot one. This is a significant change to the scheme in place, which seeds the highest coefficient earners in pot one regardless of their domestic performance. In the current alliteration of the seeding structure a team like Arsenal, who finished third in the English Premier League, is seeded above the champions Manchester City because of the Gunners’ relative success in the Champions League.

The proposed scheme will see champions from England, Spain, Germany, Italy, Portugal, France and Russia along with the winner of the previous Champions League in the first pot. However, if the seeding in pot one is something that is desirable, this new scheme will dilute the pot of top seeders and disperse stronger teams in the subsequent pots. In essence, the reward for becoming a top seeded club will not exist.

If Real Madrid are seeded in pot one they would rather see the likes of CSKA Moscow (Russian Champions) in pot two, three or four than Bayern Munich if they were unable to win their domestic league. With the proposed system the reward for earning the top seed will be decreased compared to the current system.

Yoshiki Matsunaga is a soccer writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter yoshikimat, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.