Celtic + Rangers on alert over possible Champions League change as bold plans given 'serious consideration'
Rangers and Celtic compete for a prized Champions League spot every season.
A major Champions League plan has Rangers and Celtic on alert as talks begin.
The Hoops have enjoyed success in the revamped league phase that has replaced the group stage. Progress to the knockout round play-off to face Bayern Munich has been clinched after finishing in the top 24 of the competition, securing wins over the likes of RB Leipzig, Slovan Bratislava and Young Boys.
Rangers were knockout out in the qualifying rounds but are competing with Celtic for the title each year in Scotland, which provides passage to Europe’s top table. Philippe Clement’s side also have an alternate route there if they manage to go all the way in the Europa League.
Currently, Rangers are in the last 16 after finishing in the top eight of the second tier’s league phase. Both teams will hope to dine out in such an arena in future seasons and if they do, a major change could await them.
According to the Guardian, extra-time is under the microscope and could be scrapped. Demands on players have increased in recent seasons and the new Club World Cup has further bolstered an already jam-packed fixture schedule. Now, UEFA could take some measures to cut the load.
It’s stated “Discussions to scrap extra time from Champions League knockout rounds are gathering speed within Uefa in what would be a new step to reduce the number of minutes played by top clubs.” The report adds “the topic of taking ties in UEFA’s club competitions straight to penalties is being given serious consideration, although a change midway through this television rights cycle, which runs until 2027, is unlikely.”
That means there are potentially only a couple of seasons left with extra-time in play. Rangers utilised extra-time by using an extra 30 minutes to beat Braga on their way to the Europa League final in 2022 while Porto famously beat Celtic 3-2 in the UEFA Cup final almost 22 years ago following an additional half-hour.