EUROPE'S TOP CLUBS BEGIN NEW JOURNEY

Uefa says revamped Champions League offers thrilling future and better balance

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A new era in European club football begins on Aug 29, when the draw takes place in Monaco for an expanded Uefa Champions League featuring a radically changed format.

European football's governing body is selling what it describes as a "thrilling new future" for the game on the continent with more teams playing more matches, and more prize money on offer.

Uefa needs to generate hype around the new format, because there is a risk-in the beginning at least that fans will find it confusing compared to the old model.

The Champions League had previously included a group stage in which 32 clubs were split into eight groups of four, each playing six games. The top two in each group qualified for the knockout phase.

The new version will feature 36 clubs with everyone playing eight matches, but all teams pooled together into one giant league rather than in groups.

Clubs will still be split into four seeded pots of nine teams, with every side given two opponents from each pot. The top eight in the final ranking go through to the last 16, while the next 16 sides advance to an intermediate play-off round and the remainder go out.