Liverpool are at the heart of a drastic change - I don't know what's coming next

Liverpool are at the heart of a drastic change - I don't know what's coming next

Liverpool made it two wins from two in the Champions League after overcoming Bologna at Anfield

Banners are held up on The Kop at Liverpool's Champions League clash with Bologna on Wednesday (Image: Getty Images )

Liverpool are once again competing in Europe's premier competition after a season spent in the less-favoured Europa League. And Arne Slot's side have marked their return to the Champions League in style, defeating AC Milan and Bologna in their opening two matches to increase hopes of qualifying for the knockout phase.

Things are not quite as they were for Liverpool in this competition, however, after UEFA's decision to introduce a revamped group stage format, involving the removal of separate groups and instead having one giant league table.

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To make this possible, an extra four clubs have been allowed to participate and two additional group games must now be played for all teams.

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Many fans have argued this change was needless and has resulted in a lack of interest, while others have welcomed this fresh approach and the differences it has brought.

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Weighing in on whether the Swiss Model is set to be a success or a failure, our weekly ECHO columnists have shared their thoughts below.

Rhys Buchanan (Aigburth, @Rhys_Buchanan) - Time will tell whether new format is a success

It’s no surprise the new Champions League format has been a big talking point over the last few weeks. I think it’s too early to tell how it will all shape up at the moment, but I do believe it will get interesting as the table starts reflecting the results across Europe in the coming months.

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For now, it’s just been about putting the points on the board early doors and the fact there’s eight games to right any wrongs has resulted in a strange lack of jeopardy in the opening games. That could all change with the eventual scramble for those automatic qualification places, which will be massively important for Premier League teams with fixture congestion becoming a big issue.

Personally, I think the format needed a shake-up and it’s great to see some bigger clashes early on as well. As always though, the Champions League will well and truly ignite in the knockout stages. Let’s just hope the Reds can keep our business-like form and make sure we’re part of the conversation then.

Andrew Cullen (Widnes, @brothersred5) - Lesser sides now stand more of a chance

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I was initially sceptical about the new Champions League format. Why fix something that isn’t broken? The luck of the draw, the twists in the group stage and the excitement of drawing European giants in the latter stages; it was an exhilarating ride.

But when I widened the lens, and reflected on previous seasons, it did feel that the group stage largely consisted of the top teams advancing, the Goliaths destroying the Davids. With an auspicious draw, a top team could have a relatively smooth passage to the latter stages of the competition.

The aim of the new format seems to be to encourage tighter ties in the early phases of the competition, still allowing the so-called smaller teams to fight the bigger teams, and yet also introducing heavyweight meetings.

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On paper, the new competition structure seemed appetising; for now, at least, the new format hasn’t diluted my excitement levels. Just as styles make fights in the boxing arena, the exposure to more European teams early on, creates more risks. Having to face more teams on the way to European glory makes it a more difficult ascent and more glorious if the peak is reached.

Perhaps my view on the new format is slightly skewed because of our strong start; I may change my mind if Liverpool start to experience some turbulence.

James Noble (Worcestershire, @james_noble98) - Early signs are promising

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There has been plenty of engaging discussion around the new format of the Champions League. Concerns over the increased strain on players have rightly been part of that.

Understandably, there has been a prominent ‘if it ain’t broke…’ outlook. The group stage setup wasn’t broken but it was arguably going somewhat stale. Repetitive matchups and the common occurrence of dead rubbers felt increasingly noticeable.

Part of the new plan is to deplete those less desirable patterns. Each club playing eight, rather than three, different teams in the first phase ought to enhance variety.

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While the fact that placing in the top-24 of 36 being enough to avoid elimination suggests a potential lack of jeopardy, that may be balanced out by the seeding system. That will see the knockout phase mapped out somewhat like a tennis tournament with, for example, the first and second league phase finishers only able to meet in the final. Every change in position could, conceivably, really matter.

It seems likely that we won’t be able to sufficiently assess the format change until two or three seasons have been played out. I’m hopeful, though, that it will grow on us.

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