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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Jonathan Low

UEFA chief drops hint over major Champions League changes that could affect Liverpool

The 'final eight' format used in last season's Champions League and Europa League could return in 2024.

That's according to UEFA's deputy general secretary Giorgio Marchetti who has hinted the single-country, one leg format could be adopted again.

It was used to conclude the 2019/20 Champions League, whose schedule was severely hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

As a result, the final eight teams fought it out over a couple of weeks in Portugal to help limit the spread of the virus.

Marchetti has now said that although the two elite European competitions are restricted to using their current format for the next three seasons, they could change in 2024 to the style fans saw at the back end of last season.

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He said : "A good rule is to never exclude something which proves valuable or has potential.

"We know there are many elements that need to be taken into account, such as calendar and organisational constraints, fans’ involvement, economic implications, but we will for sure study this format and its variations for our upcoming discussions.

“Single knockout matches obviously favour uncertainty and emotions.

"We received great feedback from clubs, broadcasters and other partners as well as from the fans.

"The circumstances made this format a must, but the result could not be better as well as the degree of satisfaction.”

The Europa League also adopted a similar format, with the German cities of Cologne, Duisburg, Düsseldorf and Gelsenkirchen hosting games.

Liverpool were knocked out of the Champions League before it got to a single-game stage last season, beaten by Atletico Madrid over two legs.

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