Ilkay Gundogan has offered a firm criticism of the forthcoming changes to the Champions League. 

Amid the hubbub of the Super League launch, UEFA's Executive Committee quietly agreed to a new tournament format.

Starting in 2024/25, the Champions League group phase will be expanded from 32 to 36 teams. But crucially, the traditional pattern of games will be no more.

The 36 teams will be competing for places in the one division.

Teams would not all play each other, instead a draw would determine ten opponents for each side, with five games at home, and five away.

With all the Super League stuff going on... can we please also speak about the new Champions League format? More and more and more games, is no one thinking about us players?
The new UCL format is just the lesser of the two evils in comparison to the Super League...

— Ilkay Gündogan (@IlkayGuendogan) April 22, 2021

A top-seeded team, for instance, would play two other top seeds, three each from pots 2 and 3, and two of the fourth seeds.

Points accrued would be registered on one big league table. The top-16 would progress to the knockout phase.

Gundogan has arguably been City's player of the season, and is firmly opposed to the changes.

"With all the Super League stuff going on," he tweeted, "Can we please also speak about the new Champions League format?

"More and more and more games, is no one thinking about us players? The new UCL format is just the lesser of the two evils in comparison to the Super League."

Gundogan then added, "The UCL format right now works great and that is why it's the most popular club competition in the world - for us players and for the fans."

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