Quote from: MarjorieZimmermanGinger on Today at 05:24:23 PM

Quote from: mamesso on Today at 12:42:56 PM

Previously, when the group phase format was still used, the teams that would qualify for the last 16 could already be predicted, this time everything has changed completely after the new format was implemented, each club must protect each other's opportunities because there is no longer a Home Away system. Now there is a little bit of a different color than before, each team must maintain their mentality to steal points at the opponent's headquarters to increase their chances of finishing in the top 8.
Position changes will still occur in the top 8 positions because the points difference is still very thin.

The new format is actually not beneficial for several big teams even though it is a result that they determine themselves through the game to get points. The increase in the number of matches does slightly affect the level of competition in the Eropa League, especially it will have an impact on clubs that are facing a storm of injuries to their players. The position can still change and maybe we will see the teams that qualify and finish in the top 8 of the standings with a little unexpected. Automatic qualification is the hope of most teams but it will take hard work to secure that spot and the interesting thing for some teams who have not secured automatic qualification is that they still need to fight in the remaining matches so they don't have to fight through the playoffs.

The new format or playoffs for 9 to 24 place is an interesting concept, it gives a chance for weak clubs to advance to the round of 16. Only clubs ranked 1st to 8th qualify automatically for the round of 16, the rest of the best in the playoffs. Of course this concept is also fair for clubs ranked in the top 8, because in the round of 16 they will face clubs that have just qualified from the playoffs.