In fact, UEFA are facing a legal threat over the new format, as revealed yesterday by The Athletic’s Matt Slater.
Matt reported that Chilean sports consultant Leandro Shara has threatened to sue for the “unauthorised and unfair use” of the “league phase” format it is introducing for its three club competitions this season.
Shara claims he invented the hybrid system UEFA has chosen and says it should really be called the “Leandro Shara System”, a format he copyrighted in Chile in 2006, or more simply the “pots” format.
He also alleges that he “presented the format to UEFA over a dozen times since 2013”, giving European football’s governing body “case studies” and “documents”, as well as discussing the idea at several sports conferences and working with the football authorities in Chile and Peru on competitions that have used the format.
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UEFA facing legal threat over new Champions League format
