There will be no Europa League or Europa Conference League games this evening as UEFA’s new-look Champions League causes havoc.
This season marks the debut of the new format of UEFA‘s three club competitions, which means a change in schedule.
The Europa Conference League is the latest addition to UEFA’s club competitionsGetty
Thursdays usually see teams in the Europa League and Europa Conference League compete, but that won’t be the case this evening.
Instead, those sides have been forced to wait.
Why are there no Europa League or Europa Conference League games tonight?
To mark the start of the new Champions League format, consisting of a 36-team league, matchweek one has been divided over three nights.
Each evening, 12 teams compete, meaning six games of Champions League football.
However, this won’t be the case every week.
UEFA announced ahead of the new Champions League that each competition would have an exclusive week in which that is the only club European action.
For the Champions League, that was scheduled for matchday one.
As a result, the Europa League and Europa Conference League have been sacrificed for UEFA’s premier competition.
The Europa League’s exclusive week is set to be held on Wednesday, September 25 and Thursday, September 26.
Meanwhile, the Europa Conference League’s one will take place on one day later in the season – Thursday, December 19.
The Europa League teams will get their moment in the sun very soonAFP
Apart from these special weeks, the European schedule from matchday two to seven is what fans have become accustomed to.
So, Champions League games will be on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, while the Europa League and Europa Conference League will take place on Thursdays.
The only time this changes outside of a competition’s exclusive week is on matchweek eight for each respective tournament, when all games will be held on the same day and kick-off at the same time.
Of course, this Champions League exclusive week has helped with the scheduling of the Carabao Cup as well.
This is because the English teams in the Champions League [Aston Villa, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City] play their Carabao Cup games during the special Europa League only week.
Chelsea, who are in the Europa Conference League, are also playing their cup tie at the same time as the English Champions League sides.
Meanwhile, Manchester United and Tottenham are both in the Europa League, so they played their Carabao Cup fixtures this week.
