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Author: pahta
Date: 24-11-2002, 19:38

Why should it to make revolution in the UEFA Cup format?
Next season there is no penetration of 8 CL 3rd placed teames into 3rd round of the competition.
It's clear that since some round of the UC the number of participants should be the power of 2.
Currently the comitition begins with 96 teams in 1st round.
I don't beleave UEFA will expand the 1st round to 128(too many) teams or reduce it to 64(not democratic way). So i guess it will count 96 as for now.
The question is how to reduce that amount to 64 or 32 in some next stage.
I see two ways.
1. The 16 loosers of the 3rd qualification CL round
relegate(the fact they have to is obvious) directly into the 2nd round of UC. So we have 48(winners of 1st round)+16=64 teams. In Such case 16 best in rating teams from the current format qualification round of UC will get place in 1st round automatically. It will slightly weaken it.
2. The 16 ones relegate into the 1st round and after seeding the 32 best of 96 teams are promoted automatically into 2nd round. The rest(64) play in 1st round. So in the 2nd one we have 32+32=64 teams.

Also I think the group stage in UEFA Cup is absolutely bullshit. It's against the nature of the Cup competition.

Author: vakho
Date: 25-11-2002, 10:56

In fact it's not that simple as you think. I personally
heared that UEFA going to introduce "rugby-like" formula,
group stage - but with 5! teams in each group playing 4 games - 2home and 2 away. 80 teams will be put
in 16 groups. Best 2 from each will go into next stage
e.g 1/16. As you see 80 is not that anti-democratic
like 64. Which 16 teams will be put on expence I don't
know - there are several alternatives:
1. There will be much less seeded teams
2. CL paticipants will not be alowed to enter UC
3. Qualification round will become "heavier" for small
poor nations because in fact it will be two stages.

Knowing UEFA's "outstanding care" about coutries lower than top 30 I beleive in 3rd alternative to be real.

Author: putzeijs
Date: 26-11-2002, 10:45

We all return to the topic I started on 2/9/02. How will UEFA determin the 80 teams in UC R1.

Just two remarks to this topic:
* The group stage in UC starts in R2; so 8 groups of 5.
* I heard on Belgian Radio (relatively good source) that this part of the changes in UC would only start in 2004.

How UC in 2003 will look (no entry of 3th in CL L group 1 seems to be decided), is a well kept secret.