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      BBC host Mark Chapman jokes he’s ‘glad Rod Stewart’s not beside me’ for complicated Carabao Cup draw as fans slam ‘fix’

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      FANS blasted the Carabao Cup third-round draw as a “fix” after the complicated new format was introduced by BBC host Mark Chapman.The presenter even joked that he was “glad Rod Stewart and Martin O’Neill were not beside” him before he explained the changes.Mark Chapman was tasked with explaining the new Carabao Cup formatSir Stewart, 79, became and internet sensation after delivering the  2017 the Scottish Cup draw after a “few bevvies”.Sir Stewart ballsed it up after mixing up the numbers, shouting the wrong names out and putting his thumbs up to the camera.Former Ireland boss O’Neill had his own comical gaffe for the second-round of Carabao Cup draw last season.The Northern Irishman put each team ball to his mouth when it came out of the hat thinking it was a microphone to the amusement of fans.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSChapman didn’t want any repeats of these events and needed no distractions as he made subtle digs the new-look design.Expansive changes to the Champions League and Europa League this season have sparked up the need for the revised Carabao Cup format. Two bowls were used on Wednesday night to help the six European sides avoid fixture clashes. The first bowl only included the six Prem teams playing in the Champions League and Europa League.Most read in FootballThe other 26 teams were relegated to the second part of the draw.As such the first four teams picked were from the European bowl, which meant Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United lucked out with home fixtures.How the draw was laid out before teams were selectedCredit: Sky SportsFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSIn a bid to make it a tad bit fairer, the final two games swapped so that two other European teams would be drawn away. Aston Villa and Tottenham were the last two European qualifiers left to be selected, so they face Wycombe Wanderers and Coventry City away.Smoking and vaping to be banned in pub gardens and outside football stadiumsChelsea were not included in the first “Europe” bowl as their Conference League round begins later on in the season.However, fans are horrified by the new approach but absolutely loved Chapman’s presenting skills.One fan wrote on X: “Even Mark Chapman knows this draw is a farce, he’s laughing as he’s describing it.”A second said: “Bloody love Mark Chapman. He knows this draw is wrong.”A third replied: “Chapman taking the p** out of the format is hilarious 😂.”While another noted: “The draw is biased and embarrassing. As a result of ensuring they can’t draw each other. All those teams should be away and allow the smaller teams a chance of a home giant-killing and important revenue.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe Premier League teams not in European competitions entered the Carabao Cup in the second round.Meanwhile, two additional matchweeks have been added to the calendar for the two European competitions as that is drawn on Thursday.Carabao Cup draw in fullLiverpool v West Ham UnitedManchester City v WatfordArsenal v Bolton WanderersManchester United v BarnsleyWycombe Wanderers v Aston VillaCoventry City v Tottenham HotspurWalsall v Leicester CityBrentford v Leyton OrientBlackpool v Sheffield WednesdayPreston North End v FulhamEverton v SouthamptonQueens Park Rangers v Crystal PalaceStoke City v Fleetwood TownBrighton & Hove Albion v Wolverhampton WanderersAFC Wimbledon v Newcastle UnitedChelsea v Barrow More

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      How to live stream Champions League draw for FREE and is the huge event on YouTube?

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      THE Champions League draw takes place TODAY – but it won’t be in the conventual manner fans are used to.This season’s elite competition marks the first time the brand new league phase will be adopted in place of the traditional group stage.The Champions League draw will take place todayCredit: GettyCHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW LIVEAll clubs will be put in one 36-team league, with each side playing eight matches each.Each team in the Champions League will be put into one of four pots according to their Uefa coefficient.All clubs will play two teams from each of the four pots during the league phase, playing one match at home and one away.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLA team will be drawn out of the pot and then Uefa’s software will decide their eight opponents and whether they will be at home or away.After the eight gameweeks are completed, the top eight sides in the league will automatically qualify for the round of 16, while the clubs finishing in 9th to 24th will compete in a two-legged knockout phase to determine who will join the top eight in the last-16.Clubs that finish 25th or lower will be eliminated, with no access to the Europa League.How to live stream the Champions League draw for FREEYou can live steam the brand new Champions League league phase draw via multiple different platforms.Most read in Champions LeagueOn traditional TV, the draw will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1.TNT Sports customers can also live stream the event via the discovery+ app/website.Fear not if you are not if you are not a TNT Sports customer – you can live stream the draw for FREE via the official TNT Sports YouTube channel.Uefa.com will also be providing a free stream of the huge event from Monaco.And if that wasn’t enough, you can follow along live via the BBC iPlayer/BBC Sport website.Alternatively, fans can find out who their teams will be drawn with through our live blog.What time will the Champions League draw take place?The Champions League league phase draw will take place on Thursday, August 29.The draw will take place from 5pm BST.The Grimaldi Forum in Monaco will host. More

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      Chelsea risk being BANNED from European competitions over finances as Uefa close controversial loophole

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      CHELSEA are facing a challenge to comply with Uefa’s financial rules and could be barred from European competitions.It comes after the European body confirmed it’s stance on registering income.Chelsea face a race to comply with Uefa’s financial rulesCredit: AlamyUefa will NOT allow clubs to register earnings from selling assets to sister companies, which Chelsea have done to ease losses this summer.Todd Boehly and Clearlake have offset some of the club’s deficit by selling two of Chelsea’s hotels to a sister company for £76.5million. The women’s team, meanwhile, was sold to the club’s parent company two days before the end of the financial year in June.The Premier League has yet to close loopholes that have allowed Chelsea to register the sales as registered income. READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSBut Uefa will prevent clubs benefiting from income through selling assets this way, reports The Times.Any sanction or settlement for a breach of Uefa’s financial rules would not affect Chelsea in this season’s Conference League.However, in theory, if Chelsea fail to comply they could be excluded from European football next season amid a host of other punishments.Uefa did stress that all cases would have to be assessed individually by its independent panel. Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSThis loophole is banned by the English Football League for clubs in the Championship, League One and League Two.Uefa financial regulations are already more difficult to comply with than the Prem’s.Mykhailo Mudryk reveals his cheat meal and best Chelsea pals in Q&A Profit and Sustainability Rules, used by the English top-flight, permit clubs to lose a maximum of £105m over a rolling three-year period.But Uefa’s ‘football earnings’ rule allows clubs to lose only £34.5m over two seasons.Chelsea’s most recent accounts were published in April, and in them Boehly reaffirmed that the club are in line to subscribe with Uefa rules.The owners at Stamford Bridge have spent just shy of £1.2BILLION on transfers since arriving in May 2022.The club have raised cash through selling the likes of pure profit academy graduates Conor Gallagher to Atletico Madrid and Ian Maatsen to Aston Villa.But they have once again spent significantly more than they have earned, with Pedro Neto and Joao Felix among their raft of new signings as they continue to eye another striker before Friday’s deadline.What’s happened so far between Uefa and Cheslea?In September 2022, Chelsea were placed on a “watchlist” by Uefa’s Club Financial Control Body.They were among 19 European clubs who escaped action only because of Covid-related allowances. However, as they failed to qualify for Europe for the 2022-23 season they were not liable to any enforcement of Uefa’s financial rules.In June last year, Uefa closed another loophole that allowed clubs to spread the cost of a transfer fee over the length of the player’s contract. Uefa imposed a five-year maximum for players signed after July 1.Chelsea are still without a main front-of-shirt sponsor after two games of the season for the second consecutive year as they fetch a more lucrative deal.Back in 2019, AC Milan reached a settlement with Uefa to serve a one-year ban from European competition due to multiple financial breaches.READ MORE SUN STORIESAnd in 2020, Manchester City were banned from the Champions League for two years and hit with a £25million fine after breaking FFP.The Citizens ban was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.Changes to the Premier League for 2024/25NOTHING stays the same forever.And that includes the Premier League, which is making a number of tweaks this season.Team news will now be released 75 MINUTES before kick-off, 15 minutes earlier than had been the case before.Things could get crowded on the touchline, with the number of substitutes permitted to warm-up boosted from three players per team to FIVE.There’s also a change to how added time is calculated when a team scores a goal, an update to the ‘multiball’ system and the introduction of semi-automated offsides – but not straight away.Go here to read about all the changes to the Premier League for 2024/25. More

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      How Champions League draw supercomputer will be protected from hackers – and third party employed to prevent fix claims

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      THE English firm providing the software for the Champions League draw have assured fans that they will be safe from potential hackers.Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Aston Villa will find out their fate in Europe’s elite competition in Monaco tomorrow evening in a completely new format.The draw for this season’s Champions League takes place on Thursday eveningCredit: GETTYThe 2024/25 instalment of the competition will be the first run of its new formatCredit: GETTYAn English firm is in charge of making sure hackers don’t target the eventCredit: GETTYInstead of eight groups of four with each team drawn by hand, the 2024/25 campaign will instead feature a 36-team league with teams playing eight games home and away.The draw will also be different – largely generated by AI software from the London-based company AE Live – picking each side’s fixtures from four pots of nine teams.After the first team is drawn manually from pot 1, a button will be pressed on the stage and that team’s eight opponents – four home and four away – are calculated within seconds on a screen.The software will also have a number of “checkers” within the system to ensure that no team can face more than two teams from the same country, and no team can play against each other from the same nation.READ MORE UCL NEWSErnest and Young have been hired to act as consultants and audits for the draw to ensure everything goes smoothly.And a spokesman for AE Live, when asked about how prepared they are against hackers, said: “We take cyber security very seriously. “We are always held to account.“This is a very critical and sensitive issue. Most read in SportBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSNew Champions League formatEach club will play eight matches in the opening phase – against seeded opposition, in a system designed to ensure that teams play opponents of similar difficulty.The top eight teams in the “final” table will automatically go through to the last 16, where they will be joined by the eight play-off winners of ties between the sides placed ninth to 24th in the table.Despite there being just eight matches in the opening phase, European matches will be spread over 10 midweek slots.The new Champions League format also sees the implication of two additional qualifying spots.They will be awarded to the nations that are top of the “country coefficient” chart each season.”We have taken the highest industry practices to confirm it will be secure.“I can assure you as a company we have taken all the steps we can to make sure it is as safe and secure as possible. Champions League releases new anthem as fuming fans say ‘the beautiful game has died'”We have gone through the risk assessment but this is not new for us.”AE Live have been working alongside Uefa since last September to produce the software capable of executing the draw.The company also have a good relationship with the BBC and Sky Sports having worked on graphics and draws for the FA Cup and the Premier League. More

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      New details emerge of major broadcast change that saw BBC land rights to huge football competition

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      NEW details around the Champions League’s broadcasting change have been revealed.The BBC will broadcast a weekly highlights show of Europe’s premier competition for the first time in the 2024/25 campaign.Three different channels will have Champions League rights in the UK this seasonCredit: The TimesAmazon also have the rights to first pick of the Tuesday matches, while TNT Sports continue to show the remainder of the games.And according to The Times, this season’s Champions League will see a 20 per cent increase in earnings for clubs taking part.A rise in the broadcasting rights and sponsorship income is set to mean a more lucrative competition for all those involved.That is despite the tournament expanding from 32 to 36 teams.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLIt is understood the average earnings for Champions League teams last season was £54million – and £80m for English clubs.The increased revenue could be worth around £23m per year for English sides.Numbers from the 2022/23 season showed £114m in revenue for winners Manchester City, £81m for Chelsea, £71m Liverpool and £56m for Tottenham.A Uefa source claims the new Champions League format is the reason behind an increase in the price of broadcasting rights.Most read in Champions LeagueCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSAll 36 teams will be in one league and play eight games, with the top eight automatically into the last 16 and ninth to 24th facing off in play-off ties.The source said: “There was declining interest in the old format, with some groups decided after only three or four rounds. The new format should keep the interest going much longer.”SunSport’s Latest Transfer HeadlinesThey also went on to add: “For the UK, we have highlights on the BBC for the first time, which is important to ensure greater eyeballs from free-to-air TV.”As well as a change in the number of teams and format, Uefa have also added two qualification spots for fifth place in Europe’s best performing leagues the previous season.For the 2024/25 campaign, this has seen Bologna and last year’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund secure places in the league stage.New Champions League formatEach club will play eight matches in the opening phase – against seeded opposition, in a system designed to ensure that teams play opponents of similar difficulty.The top eight teams in the “final” table will automatically go through to the last 16, where they will be joined by the eight play-off winners of ties between the sides placed ninth to 24th in the table.Despite there being just eight matches in the opening phase, European matches will be spread over 10 midweek slots.The new Champions League format also sees the implication of two additional qualifying spots.They will be awarded to the nations that are top of the “country coefficient” chart each season. More

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      Carabao Cup third-round draw simulated with Man Utd landing horror draw but Arsenal getting easy ride

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      ARSENAL have been predicted to get an easy ride in the Carabao Cup draw.The Gunners and the other teams from the Champions League and Europa League will enter the draw in the tournament tonight.The third round draw of the Carabao Cup has been simulatedCredit: GettyArsenal could have an easy tie against WalsallCredit: GettyMan United could have a nightmare trip back to BrightonCredit: AFPThe Seagulls smashed Crawley Town 4-0 to reach the third roundCredit: GettyClubs that compete in European competitions get a bye until the third-round draws in the League Cup.This means that the likes of Aston Villa, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Chelsea will find out their first opponents.However, they will not be able to face each other just yet in the tournament due to new rules implemented by the EFL.The major change has been made in order to help with the European club’s fixture congestion.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe draw will be made with two bags, the first bag will include the European sides while the second will have the remaining clubs.A simulation of the draw has taken place and has sprung up some interesting ties to excite fans.Mikel Arteta’s side have been predicted to face League Two outfit at the Emirates Stadium.The Gunners’ last game against the West Midlands side came in 1983, when they actually lost 2-1 in the FA Cup.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSManchester United however have been picked for a horror tie against Brighton and Hove Albion.The Red Devils have already played against the Seagulls in the Premier League this season and lost 2-1 after a late goal from Joao Pedro.The Sun’s Shaun Custis and Martin Lipton break down the new changes for the UEFA Champions League format for 2024/25Simulated Carabao Cup drawHere is what the simulated draw of the Carabao Cup has thrown up…Arsenal vs WalsallQPR vs Aston VillaLiverpool vs Wolves or BurnleyBrighton and Hove Albion vs Manchester UnitedTottenham vs Coventry CityChelsea vs Nottingham Forest or NewcastleStoke City vs BarnsleyEverton vs BarrowSheffield Wednesday vs Bolton WanderersWest Ham or Bournemouth vs Leyton OrientFleetwood vs Wimbledon or Ipswich TownFulham vs Crystal PalaceCardiff City or Southampton vs Swansea City or Wycombe WanderersColchester or Brentford vs WatfordLeicester City vs Preston North EndAnother potential exciting tie could happen at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea could host either Nottingham Forest or Newcastle.The official draw will take place after the clash at the City Ground tonight after the match between the two Premier League sides.West Ham could have an enticing fixture against East London rivals Leyton Orient if they beat Bournemouth at the London Stadium.The League One strugglers made it through to the third round thanks to a shock win against Championship side Millwall at the Den.There could be another all Premier League clash between Fulham and Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage.The Eagles impressed in their 4-0 demolition of Norwich City, while Marco Silva’s side beat Birmingham City 2-0.READ MORE SUN STORIESThere could also be a repeat of the 1987 FA Cup final as Tottenham have been simulated to face Coventry City.Spurs last faced the Sky Blues in 2013 in the FA Cup and ran out 3-0 winners with Clint Dempsey netting a brace and Gareth Bale also on the scoresheet.Crystal Palace thumped Norwich City 4-0 in the second roundCredit: GettyIliman Ndiaye scored his first goal for Everton to knockout DoncasterCredit: GettyWho are these famous footballers? More

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      Champions League simulated with Arsenal landing horror fixtures in new league format

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      THIS week’s eagerly-anticipated Champions League draw has been simulated – and the results make for bad reading for Arsenal fans.The 2024/25 instalment of Europe’s elite club competition will be the inaugural outing of the tournament’s new format.The draw for the Champions League takes place on Thursday eveningCredit: GettyArsenal will bid to go further than the quarter-finals this seasonCredit: SUNDAY TIMESA simulation of the draw has given the Gunners a Group of DeathCredit: AFPThe well-known 32-team competition format, which has been in place since 1967, is now a thing of the past.It’s been replaced by a new setup including 36 of Europe’s best clubs – but they won’t be competing in the traditional group stage.The 36 teams will compete in a SINGLE league format in which they’ll play eight fixtures.In the new setup, each team will play four matches at home and four games away.READ MORE ON UCLTeams will be ranked in four seeding pots and will play two opponents from each of the pots.The top eight teams will automatically secure qualification for the last 16, while the ninth to 24th-placed sides will take part in a two-legged playoff.Teams who finished in 25th place and below will be eliminated from the tournament and WON’T drop into the Europa League.The draw for this season’s tournament takes place in Monaco on Thursday afternoon.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSAnd a simulation of the draw has given Arsenal the proverbial ‘Group of Death’.A super-computer has drawn the Gunners – who are in Pot 2 in the draw – against European giants Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.Champions League releases new anthem as fuming fans say ‘the beautiful game has died’Paris Saint-Germain Juventus, Sporting Lison and PSV Eindhoven make up the North Londoners’ opponents from Pot 2 and Pot 3.It’s been predicted that they’ll then face the winner of this week’s FC Midtjylland qualification clash with Slovan Bratislava.Arsenal reached the quarter-finals of last season’s Champions League following a five-year absence from the competition.Mikel Arteta’s troops were dumped out of the competition by Bayern, losing 3-2 on aggregate to the Bundesliga big boys. More

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      How much each Premier League club will earn from Europe without even kicking a ball with Chelsea set for paltry payment

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      PREMIER LEAGUE clubs are set to earn a pretty penny from Uefa before they even kick a ball in Europe this season.Seven English clubs will be competing across the three Uefa club competitions, which have undergone a radical format change.The format in Uefa competition will see Premier League clubs earn some cool prize money without kicking a ballCredit: AFPPep Guardiola’s Manchester City are in line to earn the mostCredit: RexArsenal will earn a lovely windfall before kicking a ballCredit: GettyChelsea will earn only a comparatively small figure after being bumped down in the Conference League by Man Utd’s FA Cup successCredit: RexThis new set-up puts them in a Swiss-style league system, instead of the previously adopted eight groups of four with the top two progressing.Now, each club will play eight matches in the opening phase – against seeded opposition, in a system designed to ensure that teams overall play opponents of similar difficulty.The top eight teams in the “final” table will automatically go through to the last 16, where they will be joined by the eight play-off winners of ties between the sides placed ninth to 24th in the table.Despite there being just eight matches in the opening phase, European matches will be spread over ten midweek slots.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBut how much will each team earn from the new Uefa package?Kicking us off are Premier League champions Manchester City.Pep Guardiola is hoping to land a second European title with the club this season.Winning every match in the Champions League alone could see them earn somewhere in the region of £140million-£145m.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSBut before a ball has even been kicked they are in line to receive £53m from the new package.Liverpool will earn at least £51m from the deal, Arsenal about £46m and Aston Villa give or take around £33m.SunSport’s Latest Transfer HeadlinesBy comparison, the Europa League offers a far less bountiful starting prize pool.Tottenham, who qualified for the competition through a fifth-place league finish, will earn £12m.This figure is the same as what Manchester United, who qualified through winning the FA Cup, will also receive.Meanwhile, Chelsea – who were knocked out of the Europa League and into the Europa Conference League because of United’s FA Cup triumph – are in line to earn just £5m.The new automated Champions League league phase draw is due to take place at 5pm on Thursday evening at the Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo, Monaco.The Europa League and Conference League draws are then due to take place the following day at 12pm and 1.30pm respectively.New Champions League formatEach club will play eight matches in the opening phase – against seeded opposition, in a system designed to ensure that teams play opponents of similar difficulty.The top eight teams in the “final” table will automatically go through to the last 16, where they will be joined by the eight play-off winners of ties between the sides placed ninth to 24th in the table.Despite there being just eight matches in the opening phase, European matches will be spread over 10 midweek slots.The new Champions League format also sees the implication of two additional qualifying spots.They will be awarded to the nations that are top of the “country coefficient” chart each season.The pots for the Champions League are as follows:Pot 1:Real MadridBayern MunichParis Saint-GermainInter MilanBorussia DortmundRB LeipzigBarcelonaManchester CityLiverpoolPot 2:Bayer LeverkusenAtletico MadridAtalantaJuventusBenficaClub BruggeShakhtar DonetskAC MilanArsenalPot 3:FeyenoordSporting CPPSV EindhovenCelticWinner of Young Boys v Galatasaray play-offWinner of Dinamo Zagreb v Qarabag play-offWinner of Lille v Slavia Prague play-offTBD (see below)TBD (see below)Pot 4MonacoAston VillaBolognaGironaVfB StuttgartSturm GrazBrestWinner of Malma v Sparta Prague play-offTBD (see below)Who will fill the TBD spots?The spots that you can not accurately predict come down to three play-off games – here are the matches in question:READ MORE SUN STORIESMidtjylland v Slovan BratislavaBodo/Glimt v Red Star BelgradeDynamo Kyiv v Red Bull SalzburgThe qualifying side with the lowest coefficient will go into Pot 4, with the others going into Pot 3. More