Champions League draw to be made by computer due to complex new format
Thirty-six team competition comes into effect next seasonManual draw would take up to four hours – as long as Oscars
The new expanded Champions League format is so complex that the draw will be made by computer, after Uefa found it would take up to four hours without digital assistance.
A 36-team competition comes into effect next season, with results from eight rounds of fixtures in the league phase – each team will face eight opponents, four at home, four away – forming a table. From there, the top eight teams go through to the round of 16, while 16 more play off to complete the knockout lineup. It is a system the governing body believes will deliver more big games and greater jeopardy than the current Champions League format, but explaining its intricacies may prove a challenge.
