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      Champions League draw set for major overhaul after chiefs realise it would take FOUR HOURS and 900 balls to complete

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      THE Champions League draw is set for a new look after chiefs realised it could take four hours to complete using the current method.Uefa draws are currently done manually with pots used to separate teams.Uefa draws are set for a revamp ahead of the new look competitionsCredit: AFPBut the Champions, Europa and Conference Leagues will see their formats revamped ahead of next season.The 32-team group stage will go in favour of a 36-team mega league.Sides will play eight different opponents before going into the knockout rounds. Each club will be seeded in one of four pots and they must play two opponents from each pot.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLUefa deputy general secretary Giorgio Marchetti has revealed a fully manual draw is no longer possible in the new format as it could take three to four hours to complete and 900 balls would be needed.Therefore, a “hybrid” draw will be used that incorporates manually pulling teams out the hat and automated elements to speed up the process.Uefa insist any sections that are computerised will be independently monitored to ensure draws are not rigged.The exact system that will be used has not yet been revealed.Most read in FootballCHELTENHAM BETTING OFFERS – BEST FREE BET DEALS FOR THE FESTIVAL In the new look European competitions, the top eight teams in the 36-team league phase quality for the Last 16.They will also be seeded from one to eight in the knockout rounds in a tennis-style draw.Europa Conference League blunder as ex-Turkey keeper Demirel can’t open draw ball before being shown up by host And those that finished between 9th and 24th go into a play-off round to determine who progresses, with clubs placed 9th to 16th seeded so they can’t face each other.The bottom 12 sides are eliminated and there will be no dropping down competitions.From the Last 16 onwards, the current format of home and away legs will remain in place. More

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      ‘Super league by another name’ fume fans as Uefa confirm new Champions League format that is ‘ruining’ football

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      UEFA’S new Champions League format has been slammed by fans for “ruining” football.European football’s governing body have confirmed the new layout for the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.Fans have slammed Uefa’s new Champions League formatCredit: GettyThe changes are set to come into effect from the start of next season.Uefa’s Premier competition will be extended to 36 teams from 32 for the 2024-25 season.However, fans are unconvinced by the changes and have even compared the new format to the failed European Super League.One angry supporter wrote on X: “Super league by another name.”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAnother added: “They’re ruining the beautiful game.”A third fan also commented: “So it’s the Super League in disguise.”Meanwhile, one more said: “Basically the Super League.”The new system will see 36 teams playing in the main part of all three competitions.Most read in Champions LeagueBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSInstead of eight groups of four clubs in the initial phase, there will be a new “league” format.Supercomputer reveals Arsenal’s chances of winning Champions League after toothless Porto loss without a shot on targetEach 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 format will be mirrored across all three competitions, except for six matches instead of eight in the Conference League.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 Europa League and Conference League will each have a week when matches can be played across Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as the standalone competition being played.Uefa’s new format is set to come into effect ahead of next season’s Champions LeagueCredit: APThe 2024/25 Champions League will also see the first implication of two additional qualifying spots.These are to be awarded to the nations that are top of the “country coefficient” chart each season.READ MORE SUN STORIESThat is a table based on the results of a nation’s teams in all three European competitions.The total points earned by every nation’s clubs – with bonus points for reaching certain stages plus match-related points – are divided by the number of sides in European competitions. More

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      Legia Warsaw unveil X-rated tifo after Uefa shut down ultras section of stadium as shocked fans say ‘take a bow, lads’

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      LEGIA WARSAW fans unveiled an X-rated tifo ahead of their Europa Conference League clash with Molde.The Polish side have had plenty of run-ins with Uefa this season.
      Legia Warsaw’s Zyleta stand usually populated by ultras featured a message to Uefa
      Legia advanced from a group that also included Premier League outfit Aston Villa.
      During the group phase, Dutch police claimed that Legia fans attacked cops ahead of a clash with AZ Alkmaar, even knocking one unconscious.
      The following month, 30 supporters were arrested after trouble with police ahead of Legia’s 2-1 defeat at Villa Park.
      Following the incident against AZ Alkmaar, Legia were fined by Uefa.
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      European football’s governing body also banned supporters over the age of 14 from sitting in their Zyleta end, the stand frequented by the club’s ultras, for tonight’s clash with Molde.
      Ahead of the game, a banner could be seen reading “This time you won, Uefa” across the Zyleta stand.
      But as kick-off fast approached, a huge tifo was revealed in the main stand, featuring an X-rated message.
      Amid a green, white and red background depicting the club’s colours, a Lego man could be seen wearing sunglasses.
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      Beneath the Lego man was the message: “Surprise, Motherf***ers!”
      Legia fans have already been banned from the club’s next five European away games.
      Scotland fans unveil ‘biggest’ Hampden tifo panning across THREE STANDS as Tartan Army show incredible support
      And the club could find themselves in further hot water for their fans’ latest tifo.
      Legia won’t have any more European games this season regardless, having been knocked out by Molde.
      The Ekstraklasa side went into tonight’s second leg trailing the Norwegians 3-2 from last week’s first match.
      They were eliminated without much of a fight, with Fredrik Gulbrandsen giving the visitors the lead inside the first two minutes.
      Eirik Hestad made it 2-0 on the night on 20 minutes, before Gulbrandsen added his second in the 67th to round off Molde’s 6-2 aggregate win.
      Legia’s main stand unveiled a huge X-rated dig at Uefa ahead of kick-off
      The message was revealed as players lined up ahead of the gameCredit: Reuters
      Deflated Legia players clap their fans after their defeatCredit: Reuters More

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      Why Man Utd and Tottenham fans need to cheer on Arsenal in crunch Champions League clash with Porto

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      MANCHESTER United and Spurs fans will find themselves in a horrible position on Wednesday evening – wanting ARSENAL to WIN.Uefa’s expansion of the Champions League next season means there will be an extra automatic place from the domestic leagues of the two best-performing countries across the three European competitions.
      Man Utd and Tottenham fans should be hoping Arsenal continue to win in the Champions LeagueCredit: Getty
      The Gunners face Porto in the last 16 on Wednesday nightCredit: PA
      England stood in third, narrowly behind second-placed Germany, at the end of the group phase in December.
      But because all six survivors – after Manchester United and Newcastle bit the dust by finishing bottom – won their groups, only Manchester City and Arsenal are in action across the first fortnight of the knock-out rounds.
      Uefa’s coefficient ranking sees all the match and bonus points acquired by a country’s clubs divided by the number of teams involved at the start of the season – with England and Spain both having the maximum possible eight.
      It meant that City’s win over Copenhagen and a potential Arsenal win at Porto can earn England a maximum 0.5 ranking points.
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      By contrast, Germany with five teams in action, could have earned 2.142pts, France (five clubs) 3.167pts, Spain (six clubs) 1.5pts and Italy (five teams) 2.286pts.
      Big hauls by the rival nations could have dropped England out of the top four.
      Instead, only Italy managed two wins, with victories for Lazio and Milan and a draw for Roma cashed in last week.
      Both of Germany’s Champions League sides lost and Frankfurt and Freiburg were held to draws in the other competitions.
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      Real Madrid’s win in Leipzig was Spain’s only victory – as Sociedad lost at PSG and Betis were upset by Zagreb, while only PSG won out of France’s quintet of clubs in action.
      The Prem will then have all six remaining sides in action over two weeks next month, with City already virtually home and hosed and Liverpool, Brighton, West Ham and Villa confident of progression.
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      A full house of Prem club wins would be worth a total of 2.75 ranking points including bonuses, likely to move England back to the summit of the table.
      It means the true state of the race for the extra spots will become far clearer by March 14.
      But in the meantime, the further Arsenal go, the better it is for Spurs and United.
      Man City’s win over Copenhagen is also helping the English teamsCredit: Getty More

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      Horror as ex-Premier League star and Uefa Cup hero Jeremy Goss is seriously hurt in ‘explosion’ car crash

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      NORWICH City legend Jeremy Goss has suffered serious injuries in a horror car crash.The former Premier League star – who also played internationally for Wales – feels “lucky to be alive” after a car smashed into him while he was driving in Norfolk.
      Jeremy Goss has revealed he is recovering from a horror car crash
      Goss famously helped Norwich City beat Bayern Munich 2-1 at the Olympic StadiumCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      The 58-year-old told the Eastern Daily Press: “I was in the left-hand lane, glanced in my rearview mirror and saw this blue car heading straight towards me – going well over the speed limit.
      “I spontaneously gripped the steering wheel as tight as I could – so much that I later found out I cracked a bone on my wedding ring finger – and dropped my chin into my chest expecting the worst.
      “The car collided into the back of me like an explosion – the sound was frightening.”
      Goss revealed he was then hit a second time before his car stopped 100m down the road.
      Terrified that his car might burst into flames, Goss said he fought through intense pain to open his door.
      He then collapsed on a grass verge nearby before emergency services arrived at the scene.
      “I feel lucky to be alive honestly,” he said.
      The smash on January 31 left him bed-bound for a week.
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      Goss said he is now able to walk on his own but is using painkillers after suffering injuries to his ribs, kidneys, lower back and hip.
      Goss is best-known for helping Norwich City beat German giants Bayern Munich 2-1 in the Uefa Cup in 1993 – a game in which he scored a stunning volley.
      He opened up about his life after football to SunSport in 2019.
      After a stint playing in Scotland for Hearts, followed by non-league football at King’s Lynn, he returned to the Norfolk club that’s close to his heart to work on his coaching badges in 1999.
      However, at around the same time, his wife Margaret gave birth to their twin sons Jacob and Joseph three months premature.
      Two hours after they were born, their weight plummeted to 2 pounds and their lives were in the balance.
      Goss told SunSport: “I look back with dread, really.
      “My sons were born three months premature. We were living in my in-laws’ house and at that time I had no job and no house.
      “My wife and I were taking care of very sick new-born twins. It was like, ‘Welcome to life outside of football.'”
      In 2010, Goss took on full-time work at the Norfolk and Norwich Association for the Blind (NNAB), when an ambassadorial role at Norwich City came to an end.
      “I was very fortunate enough to meet people from the NNAB and I went in there as a charity fundraiser, which very soon became a job as head of fundraising,” he said.
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      “My role was to build up a department to take the charity forward in terms of income generation, and I’d been in that role for eight years until Easter. Now I find myself back in that position when I’m unemployed.”
      Drawing on his background and legendary status in East Anglia, Goss helped the NNAB generate generous donations, including sponsored bungee jumps.
      Goss playing during a Manchester United v Norwich City gameCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      Goss became a hero overnight after his stunning volley against the Bavarian giants
      He also went on a 1,300 mile bike trip for the NNAB riding to all the stadiums Norwich visited during their 1993 Uefa Cup run More

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      Uefa set for major rule change amid fears both Man Utd and City will NOT be able to play in Europe

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      MANCHESTER rivals United and City will both be allowed to play in Europe next season – as Uefa is rewriting its multi-club ownership rules.Current Uefa regulations state that no individual or entity “may have control or influence over more than one club participating in a Uefa competition”.
      Uefa is set to change its rules on multi-club ownershipCredit: Reuters
      Pep Guardiola’s side are the figurehead of the City Football Group, which includes shock La Liga contenders Girona.
      Newly confirmed United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos group also own Nice, who are second in France’s Ligue Un.
      Current rules are based on defending the “integrity” of competitions, so that clubs under common ownership cannot manipulate results to the benefit of one or the other.
      But Uefa general secretary Theodore Theodoridis confirmed Europe’s top brass are actively discussing a rules revamp for next season that would give both City and United the green light come what may – and access to £100m-plus in potential prize money.
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      Theodoridis said: “It’s a difficult issue and there are continuous discussions, with club representatives and with European Club Association representatives as well.
      “We have to decide what we must do moving down the line because there is a change in our competitions.
      “There are some clarifications to be done on the rules because now there will be no feeding between the competitions, where clubs can drop down from the Champions League to the Europa League, for example.
      “Right now, because of the feeding system, there is an even bigger issue.
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      “So we are trying to look at that and at the same time to speak to the clubs.
      “Soon we will be coming up with the changes and you will be informed – because we have to adapt to the post-24 format as well.”
      Under the current regulations, United would have to finish higher in the Prem than Nice did in France to be allowed to play in the Champions League, with the French side then not being allowed in any competition.
      If they finished lower in the Prem, United could only play in Europe if they qualified directly for a specific competition – by their final league position or winning the FA Cup.
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      Even if Girona stay second in Spain – they are five points ahead of third-placed Barcelona – City would be sure of taking part in the competition next season by retaining the trophy or winning the Prem for a record fourth year running.
      But the proposed changes – expected to be confirmed at the next meeting of Uefa’s ruling executive committee in Dublin in May – give United a potential £100m carrot for creeping into the top four.
      And that would even be available for a fifth place finish if English teams progress deep in Europe to take one of the two extra Champions League slots in the expanded 36-team competition for the best performing nations each season. More

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      England face nightmare SIX-HOUR coach trip for crunch Euro 2024 clash after new rule bans them from catching flight

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      ENGLAND’S stars are facing a potential SIX-HOUR round coach trip for the European Championship group clash with Denmark.And the gruelling journey is all down to Uefa’s sustainability rules.
      Gareth Southgate’s England are doing their part to help Uefa make Euro 2024 greenCredit: PA
      The Three Lions face a potential six-hour round trip to their second group gameCredit: Getty
      European football’s governing body are spending £25m on several sustainability measures after vowing to make the tournament in Germany the greenest ever.
      One of those measures is asking qualified nations to avoid travelling to matches via air wherever possible.
      The Daily Mail have stated that Uefa’s guidance is believed to have stated “that it is reasonable to expect sides to make journeys of around three hours by road or rail in order to cut emissions”.
      However, it was also reported that this has not been mandated.
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      Now the same publication is claiming that after talks with England boss Gareth Southgate, the Football Association have decided that they will follow Uefa’s directive.
      The Three Lions’ second game in Group C is in Frankfurt, which is 180 miles from their Golfrestort Weimarer Land training camp near Leipzig, against Denmark.
      England’s two other group games, against Serbia and Slovenia, will be staged in Gelsenkirchen and Cologne, which are both over four hours away from their base.
      Therefore, coach travel “has been deemed impractical” for those journeys but is being planned for the Denmark showdown.
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      The FA declined to comment.
      Such a long trip by road has become somewhat of a rare occurrence, much to the dismay of environmental campaigners.
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      Players have become more used to travelling to games in flights in just a matter of minutes, with Arsenal flying to Norwich and Manchester United jetting to Leicester both being heavily criticised over recent years.
      The nearest airport to England’s base is 30 miles away at Erfurt-Weimar.
      Finalised travel plans must be submitted to Uefa by England and the other qualified nations by February 24.
      The Olympic Stadium in Berlin is the only other stadium within driving distance of England’s tournament HQ.
      But even that is further than Uefa’s three-hour guidelines. More

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      Fifa president Gianni Infantino sets deadline to rid football of racism after shocking rise in vile incidents

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      FIFA president Gianni Infantino has given football THREE MONTHS to find a way of booting racism out of the game.The world football boss used an address to the Uefa Congress in Paris to call for a defining moment in the battle over racial discrimination.
      Fifa chief Gianni Infantino has set a deadline for football to give racism the bootCredit: AP
      Birmingham City star Juninho Bacuna claimed he had been racially abused by a West Brom fanCredit: Rex
      And Infantino has set May 17 at the Fifa Congress in Bangkok as his D-Day for football associations across the globe to get their act together.
      He has demanded point deductions for teams whose games are abandoned due to racist incidents, as well as criminal charges for those who commit racism.
      It follows abuse suffered by Coventry’s Kasey Palmer at Sheffield Wednesday while Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr has regularly been racially taunted.
      AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan walked off the pitch after being targeted by Udinese fans in January and Brentford striker Ivan Toney was the subject of “vile harassment” online this week.
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      A man has also been arrested on suspicion of racially abusing Birmingham midfielder Juninho Bacuna in their 1-0 defeat at West Brom last weekend.
      Infantino said: “In the last few months we have witnessed a lot of racist incidents. This is not acceptable any more.
      “We have to stop this and do whatever we can to stop it. Racism is a crime. It is something terrible and we have to eradicate it.”
      Fifa has a three-stage protocol, so a referee can stop a match when racist behaviour is heard from the stands.
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      A second incident sees a game suspended and a third means abandonment.
      Infantino says combating racism is his “top priority” and wants “joined up, global action” insisting “concrete” measures were now necessary, with the FA ready to step up and take more action.
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      He added: “The consequences have to be a forfeit against the team responsible for the abandonment.
      “We have to start criminal charges against those who act in a racist way and ban them from stadiums. But that is not enough.
      “In the next three months we must work together, before the Fifa Congress in Bangkok on May 17, to come together with a strong, united resolution for the fight against racism.
      “Let’s stop racism. Let’s stop it now.”
      Meanwhile, a fan who racially abused Forest Green’s Jordan Garrick has been jailed for nine months.
      Ryan Ferguson, 24, of Liverpool pleaded guilty to racially aggravated harassment, failing to  comply with a football banning order and resisting a police constable at Rovers’ League One clash with Fleetwood in April last year.
      Brentford’s Ivan Toney was the subject of ‘vile harassment’ online this weekCredit: PA
      Coventry’s Kasey Palmer suffered racist abuse at Sheffield WednesdayCredit: Rex More