2018 / 19 CL changes confirmed & new kick off times.

[dockers_strike]

Been confirmed by UEFA 4th place in England Italy Germany and Spain will automatically go in the Group stages. New kick off times of 5.55pm and 8pm no doubt for tv schedules as well.

 

Nice to see winners will be gauranteed entry rather than the PL and Evertons pathetic attempt to keep us out in 2006 happening again.

 

UEFA have confirmed a restructure to the Champions League - including changing the kick-off times and guaranteed entry to the group stages.

Liverpool's fourth-placed finish in last season's Premier League meant they had to navigate a play-off in August - against Hoffenheim - to qualify for the competition proper.

But under new rules sanctioned today ahead of the 2018/19 season, the top four from England - as well as Spain, Italy and Germany - will gain direct qualification into the group stages.

The tournament will also now have two new kick-off times, with the traditional 7.45pm kick off being replaced by 5.55pm and 8pm.

The news comes as a boost to the Reds, who will no longer have to face a play-off in order to gain entry into the group stages regardless of where they finish in the top four.

Porto 0-5 Liverpool

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Winning the Champions League - or Europa League - will also guarantee entry into the last 32.

However, if two teams who finish outside England's top four win those competitions, then the fourth-placed team would drop into the Europa League.

The rules for automatic qualification read:

• There will now be 26 teams automatically qualified.

For 2018/19 they will be...
UEFA Champions League holders (1)
UEFA Europa League holders (1)
Top four from associations ranked 1st to 4th: Spain, Germany, England, Italy (16)
Top two from associations ranked 5th and 6th: France, Russia (4)
Champions of associations ranked 7th to 10th: Portugal, Ukraine, Belgium, Turkey (4)

 

 

 

Jurgen Klopp on Liverpool's 5-0 victory against Porto

 

 

There will also be six other qualifiers - four champions of their domestic league, two 'non-champions' - to make up the group stages.

The teams who finish fifth and sixth in the Premier League are also guaranteed a spot in the Europa League group stages.

 

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-receive-huge-champions-league-14343601

[Barnesey]

So, if Chelski win the CL and finish 5th and the Arse win the Europa, we need to be 3rd to get in CL? 4th place drops into Europa.

 

Unlikely but still possible

[an tha]

5.55pm...just fuck off.

 

No care about the lifeblood of the game - the fans....Just dancing to the TV paymasters tune.

[VladimirIlyich]

5.55pm...just fuck off.

 

No care about the lifeblood of the game - the fans....Just dancing to the TV paymasters tune.

5.55 is 6.55 in most of mainland europe,even 7.55 or later. Probably seems a better idea to those countries than to ours.

[dockers_strike]

So, if Chelski win the CL and finish 5th and the Arse win the Europa, we need to be 3rd to get in CL? 4th place drops into Europa.

 

Unlikely but still possible

 

A big pink flying elephant just flew past my window. Or maybe it was just one too many Theaks XBs.