The Playground Of Europe's Heavyweights
The UEFA Champions League wasn't anything like we know and see it today when it began and was in its nascent stages. The current competition has gone multiple phases of evolution over the decades in the last century. The UEFA Champions League, as we know it today,was formed only in 1992. It is a competition with a rich heritage and history and is today regarded as the most prestigious competition on European soil eclipsing even the World Cup in terms of its demanding and exhausting nature for the competing clubs.
This competition originated in the form of European Champion Clubs' Cup or simply European Cup. The inaugural season was played in 1955-56 where Real Madrid clinched the maiden European Cup at Stade Reims and then went on to defend their title for four straight seasons, thus winning it 5 times in the first 5 years of the competition, a record that still stands today. Real Madrid's reign finally came to an end in the 1960-61 season when they were dethroned by eternal arch-rivals FC Barcelona in the first round. Since then club outfits like Benfica, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest, Bayern Munich, Ajax, Chelsea, Liverpool, Juventus, PSV Eindhoven and Barcelona have won the competition on more than one occasion.
This competition attracts a television audience not only from continental Europe, but from the entire globe. In recent times the UEFA Champions League Final has been the most watched annual sporting event in the world. The final of the 2012-13 edition drew the most number of viewers with 360 million watching it on their television screens at the same time across the entire world.
Thus, it is safe to say that this tournament is the gold standard against which European elites are measured season after season, and the winners each season are anointed the champions of the entire continent of Europe and subsequently earn the right to compete in the European Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup as the sole European representative.
The Upcoming Season's Scenario
The current season will begin on 18th September 2018 and will come to its conclusion on 1st June 2019 at the Wanda Metropolitano ( Atletico Madrid's stadium) in Madrid. But the 'Road to Madrid' will begin as soon as 30th August 2018 in Monaco where the UEFA Champions League group stage draw will take place for the 2018-19 season.
The top 4 clubs from the top 4 European national leagues, i.e. , Spain, England, Germany and Italy will earn direct qualification for the group stage, while the remaining 16 berths will be filled by clubs from lower ranked national leagues and the qualification rounds which will be played before the group stage draw takes place in Monaco on the 30th of August 2019.
Predictions For 2018-19
This season's competition will be interesting to watch as usual as the European royalty will again take centre-stage when the competition begins. As usual the clubs of the likes of Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Liverpool, Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid will be vying for the right to lift the famed ' Holy Grail' of European football on 1st June 2019 at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid.
My prediction for this upcoming season as a Barca fan is, of course, that Barca can hopefully complete the ' Road To Madrid' by lifting the ' Big Eared Trophy ' at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid. Although it is not even a remotely easy task to do it as this competition is seen by many managers, players, journalists and football pundits as more gruelling and taxing than the World Cup itself.
Group Stage Draw Details
The group stage draw for this season's UEFA Champions League will be held in Monaco on 30th August 2019 at 21:30 IST / 18:00 CEST / 17:00 BST . There will be 4 pots in which qualified teams will be arranged according to their club coefficients with the first pot containing the current UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League winners along with the national league winners of the six highest ranked European nations.
CRITERIA : TEAMS FROM THE SAME POT OR SAME COUNTRY CANNOT BE DRAWN INTO THE SAME GROUP .
FOR SEEING THE ENTIRE DETAILS OF THE GROUP STAGE DRAW CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK : www.uefa.com/gsd
PS: Please mention your name & email id while posting comments.
Please follow this blog by clicking the button in the top right hand corner and then clicking the "Follow" button.
Author : Chaitanya Kohli (chaitanya.kohli98@gmail.com)
Twitter : @cc_kohli
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| Manchester City are the bookies' favourites to lift the title come June 2019 |
This competition originated in the form of European Champion Clubs' Cup or simply European Cup. The inaugural season was played in 1955-56 where Real Madrid clinched the maiden European Cup at Stade Reims and then went on to defend their title for four straight seasons, thus winning it 5 times in the first 5 years of the competition, a record that still stands today. Real Madrid's reign finally came to an end in the 1960-61 season when they were dethroned by eternal arch-rivals FC Barcelona in the first round. Since then club outfits like Benfica, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest, Bayern Munich, Ajax, Chelsea, Liverpool, Juventus, PSV Eindhoven and Barcelona have won the competition on more than one occasion.
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| Eusebio celebrating Benfica's win in the European Cup Final |
This competition attracts a television audience not only from continental Europe, but from the entire globe. In recent times the UEFA Champions League Final has been the most watched annual sporting event in the world. The final of the 2012-13 edition drew the most number of viewers with 360 million watching it on their television screens at the same time across the entire world.
Thus, it is safe to say that this tournament is the gold standard against which European elites are measured season after season, and the winners each season are anointed the champions of the entire continent of Europe and subsequently earn the right to compete in the European Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup as the sole European representative.
The Upcoming Season's Scenario
The current season will begin on 18th September 2018 and will come to its conclusion on 1st June 2019 at the Wanda Metropolitano ( Atletico Madrid's stadium) in Madrid. But the 'Road to Madrid' will begin as soon as 30th August 2018 in Monaco where the UEFA Champions League group stage draw will take place for the 2018-19 season.
The top 4 clubs from the top 4 European national leagues, i.e. , Spain, England, Germany and Italy will earn direct qualification for the group stage, while the remaining 16 berths will be filled by clubs from lower ranked national leagues and the qualification rounds which will be played before the group stage draw takes place in Monaco on the 30th of August 2019.
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| Barcelona were stunned by Roma at the Stadio Olimpico last season in an epic quarter-final clash |
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| Kostas Manolas (No. 44) celebrates scoring for Roma as Jordi Alba (inset, blue jersey) looks on in disbelief |
Predictions For 2018-19
This season's competition will be interesting to watch as usual as the European royalty will again take centre-stage when the competition begins. As usual the clubs of the likes of Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Liverpool, Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid will be vying for the right to lift the famed ' Holy Grail' of European football on 1st June 2019 at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid.
My prediction for this upcoming season as a Barca fan is, of course, that Barca can hopefully complete the ' Road To Madrid' by lifting the ' Big Eared Trophy ' at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid. Although it is not even a remotely easy task to do it as this competition is seen by many managers, players, journalists and football pundits as more gruelling and taxing than the World Cup itself.
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| The UEFA Champions League Trophy |
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| Gareth Bale of Real Madrid with the UEFA Champions League Trophy |
Group Stage Draw Details
The group stage draw for this season's UEFA Champions League will be held in Monaco on 30th August 2019 at 21:30 IST / 18:00 CEST / 17:00 BST . There will be 4 pots in which qualified teams will be arranged according to their club coefficients with the first pot containing the current UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League winners along with the national league winners of the six highest ranked European nations.
FOR SEEING THE ENTIRE DETAILS OF THE GROUP STAGE DRAW CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK : www.uefa.com/gsd
PS: Please mention your name & email id while posting comments.
Please follow this blog by clicking the button in the top right hand corner and then clicking the "Follow" button.
Author : Chaitanya Kohli (chaitanya.kohli98@gmail.com)
Twitter : @cc_kohli
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