The Champions League doesn't care about the fans?

How beautiful the Champions League is: the pre-match anthem, teams away all over Europe and football during the week as well. Yes, perhaps it is difficult to follow all the matches as they are broadcast on three different TV channels; then there is also the problem of tickets at the stadium, which have arrived at very high prices both at home and away; ah, also having moved two early games for each day to 18:45 is a problem for those who work any office hours. The Champions League is nice, it interests football fans, but does Europe's most important tournament interest fans as much? 

Why is the game played at 18:45(CEST)?

As of this season, two matches per day have been placed on the calendar at 18:45, an unusual time slot for the competition, which used to see matches played at 18:00 (CEST) only for matches in Russia. The Champions League is historically associated with floodlights and floodlit stadiums during the week, the glimpse of the opening match of this edition, with AC Milan and Newcastle lined up for the anthem in daylight was certainly something unprecedented. The problem in this case is of course not the daylight, but the choice to put such an important match at a time that excludes fans who finish work between 6 and 7 p.m. Those who have to go to the stadium, considering the traffic in a city like Milan, will have to ask for a permit, and those who want to watch it at home may run the risk of missing the start of the match. This situation will also occur in the next round, when Inter will host Salzburg at the San Siro: on 24 October, 18:45.

Breaking up matches into multiple schedules is something we are also witnessing in Serie A - the next round will be played in no less than 9 (!) different time slots - and the motivation seems to be TV coverage and streaming. Using the same approach for the Champions League, however, seems to exclude a segment of fans, also considering that the tournament is played during the week and not at the weekend. Next season then, the format of the Champions League will change, with the addition of four teams in the group stage (from 32 to 36), which will turn into a mini-league of eight teams. With the increase in matches and the new format, should we expect matches at even different times, perhaps 3pm? The 'European nights' would become 'work/study afternoons' by secretly following the matches.

Champions League matches cost too much?

On the increase of ticket prices fans have been protesting for several seasons, and it is an issue that does not only involve the Champions League but also the different leagues. Already in the first matches of this UCL season some corners have displayed banners against the price of the guest sectors, in particular Borussia Dortmund who against PSG criticized the 70€ for a seat in the guest sector at the Parc des Princes. Last season, Dortmund itself had granted three thousand standing tickets to City fans at a price of £16.50 (€19). Stadium prices, even for home fans, reach starting figures as high as €50 for free sales, as in the case of Milan-Newcastle, no less than €30 even for a seat for Inter-Benfica. 

Understandable that clubs want to cash in on the safe three matches of the competition as much as possible, but in the club ticket section the prices never drop below 40 euros, enough to become prohibitive for younger fans or fans with more limited financial resources, who perhaps also have to anticipate the cost of an away trip. Other collective events such as concerts or exhibitions have also increased prices in recent years, but the goal UEFA should set itself is to make football a possibility and not a regret. Another protest episode came during Union Berlin's last European match: German fans before the match against Braga displayed a banner against UEFA in the central stand. The inscription was 'UEFA Stadium Regulations: you don't care about sport, you only care about money', a protest against the decision to have the club play at the Olympiastadion and not at the An der Alten Försterei, which was deemed not in compliance with UEFA requirements.

Where watching the Champions League?

In addition to the cost of tickets for those who want to watch the matches live, pay-TV subscriptions are required to watch the Champions League also from home. Whereas before, only one company won the rights, since a few editions the matches are broadcast on Sky and Amazon Prime Video, two different subscriptions, leading fans to think they have to spend more, or to exclude those who do not intend to take out two subscriptions. This split format results in the cost of the subscription then giving access to only a few of the matches, a few compared to the total, while giving the viewers the impression that they can have more pundits' lounges, more in-depth reports, more pictures and different commentaries, while the result is a general confusion, which does not even allow them to follow all the evening's matches at the same time. The Italian Champions League highlights no longer have the voices of individual commentators or fixed pairs, watching the cup rounds is like zapping between Mediaset and RAI, and every week it becomes necessary to check where to follow the most important matches of that round.

UEFA is trying to evolve the Champions League format, which is certainly to be appreciated or at least watched with curiosity. What is jarring about this strategy is the apparent disregard for the fans - or all fans - increasingly aligned with their clubs and players, who continue to complain about playing too many matches and being exposed to physical risks, in the name of entertainment and TV demands.