Champions League Schedule and News: UEFA Announces New Seeding for Next Season’s UCL
UEFA announced changes for the Champions League seeding next season after several teams complained about the old system earlier this year.
According to ESPN FC, the champions from the top seven leagues in Europe will be included in Pot One along with the holders. It means that the champions from Spain, England, Germany, Italy, Portugal, France and Russia will be drawn into the same pot together with last season's champion.
"The Champions League winners are number one and the seven next placed in Pot One are not the seven best ranked in the co-efficient but are the seven champions of the seven top-ranked nations in UEFA," UEFA announced in a statement. "This will give another dynamic with the draw and in the way the groups are composed. It will be approved with the regulations at the start of next year."
Several clubs questioned the old seeding after the top seeds in this season's draw came from just four nations -- three from Spain (Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid), two from England (Chelsea, Arsenal), two from Portugal (Porto, Benfica) and one from Germany (Bayern Munich).
If the new system is implemented in this season's draw, Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Benfica, Paris Saint-Germain and CSKA Moscow will be on Pot One along with holders Real Madrid.
"People had difficulties in understanding how the champion of a country is in a lower pot than the third ranked in that country," UEFA said. "Football is about winning, it's about competition it's about sporting merit. I think it's kind of a natural thing to give to those who have won a competition a special treatment like this."
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini recently blasted the old system after being drawn into a group with three domestic league champions, while also questioning why Arsenal are usually drawn into Pot One.
Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson recently took a swipe at those who are complaining about the system, saying that the seeding doesn't play a big role on a team's chances of winning the Champions League.
"I don't necessarily think the seeding plays a great part," Ferguson said. "You take what you get and your performance is the most important thing."
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