UEFA Nations League 2018/2019

[Londonisblue 578]

Meh. But some great matches though : France, Germany and Holland in the same group. Spain, England and Croatia together too. Also Portugal Italy might be interesting too. http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11218566/uefa-nations-league-explained-how-new-format-could-aid-euro-2020-qualification

[Valerie 8,550]

I still don't entirely get this competition 

[Munkworth 2,035]

3 hours ago, Valerie said:

I still don't entirely get this competition 

I’ve never heard of it. 

[Scott Harris 20,039]

7 hours ago, Valerie said:

I still don't entirely get this competition 

It took me a while to understand it too. I prefer it over pointless friendlies that's for sure. The only thing I don't like is that it means the European teams will pretty much only be playing European teams from now on. I don't see any space for games to be played against South American or African teams now.

[Valerie 8,550]

Can't we just make a principled decision and abolish that silly country versus country nonsense  

[Bobbywoodhogan 10,468]

I’m still confused by all this. So what do you get if you win your league/group?

[Scott Harris 20,039]

59 minutes ago, Bobbywoodhogan said:

I’m still confused by all this. So what do you get if you win your league/group?

The top 4 teams of each group go into a Semi Final, then whoever wins the semi finals go into the final and whoever wins that guarantees themselves a spot in the European Championships.........which is something they would have more than likely achieved anyway because I can't see any of the 12 teams from League A not qualifying for it through the qualifiers.

[Londonisblue 578]

here is how it works. League A is composed of the 12 so called best teams in UEFA. They're divided into 4 groups of 3 teams. All the 4 bottom teams of each group of League A are relegated to League B. Each group winners (4) at the end of November will qualify for the final competition in June 2019. There, each group winners will face each other in two semi finals (one leg each played in the same country/location as determined by the UEFA board). The two winners will play in the final in order to win the UEFA Nations League trophy. the two losers of the semis will play in a 3rd place final. So the winner wins the UEFA Nations League trophy. 

As for League B, C and D (Both Ireland, nothern and southern are in League B with Wales and Scotland are in League C), this pretty much works like football league (except there's no playoffs here). For League B : 4 groups of 3 teams. All 4 group winners are promoted to League A. All 4 group bottom are relegated to League C.

In League C, same system : all 4 group winners are promoted to League B. All 4 bottom teams are relegated to League D. The only tricky thing in League C is that there's one group composed of 3 teams and the three other groups are composed of 4 teams. Although this does not impact on the promotion system, it impacts the relegation system. In short, All the teams that finished bottom in the three 4 team groups are relegated to League D with the worst 3rd team in League C.

For League D, no relegation since this is the bottom league. All 4 group winners are promoted to League C.

Now, how this nonsense works with the Euro qualifiers?

The Nations League will span from september 2018 to november 2018 for group stages and will hold in June 2019 the final competition between the four best teams of League A (group winners) facing each other to win the UEFA Nations League trophy. Meanwhile, the Euro qualifiers will start on March 2019 and will finish on October/November 2019. The Euro qualifiers will be composed of 10 groups : five groups of 5 teams and five groups of 6 teams. The group winner and runner-up qualify for the Euro. Therefore, a total of 20 teams (10 group winners + 10 group runner-ups) will qualify for the Euro.

Since the Euro will be composed of 24 teams (nonsensical imo but whatever ...), and since only 20 teams would have qualified for the competition by the euro qualifiers, how do the 4 remaining teams qualify for that ? Well, this is where things start to get interesting, as @Scott Harris pointed that out...

Basically, the four remaining spots will be filled through the Nations League system. In each League (A, B, C and D), if there is 4 or more teams that did not qualify for the Euro through the Euro qualifiers route, the four best teams within each league (i.e, group winners, runner-ups etc ) that did not qualify already for the Euro through the qualifiers will be given a chance to qualify through semi final playoffs in March 2020.

The semi final will be played over a single leg at the stadium of the highest ranked team / better team. Then, the two winners will face each other in a playoff final in a location determined by a coin toss/draw (either at finalist A stadium or at finalist B stadium). The winner of that playoff will qualify for the Euro 2020. Since there's 4 Leagues, and therefore 4 playoff winners, we will have our 24 teams competing for the Euro => 10 Euro qualifiers group winners + 10 Euro qualifiers group runner-ups + 4 Nations League playoff winners (1 from each League, i.e, 1 from League A, 1 from League B, 1 from League C and 1 from League D) = 24 teams at the Euro.

Now, as @Scott Harris said, how come League A teams would not qualify for the Euro through qualifiers? According to the UEFA, if there's less than 4 teams in a League that did not qualify for the Euro (for instance in League A, out of the 12 teams, only 2 or 3 did not qualify for the Euro in the qualifiers), the highest ranked teams in the inferior division that did not qualify for the Euro through the qualifiers will face the teams in the superior division in order to have a 4 team playoff.

Theorically, this is how it would work :

League A four teams in the playoff => A1 vs A4 / A2 vs A3 => Winner of A1/A4 vs Winner of A2/A3 = Playoff Winner = qualified for the Euro.

League B four teams in the playoff => B1 vs B4 / B2 vs B3 => Winner of B1/B4 vs Winner of B2/B3   = Playoff Winner =  qualified for the Euro. 

League C four teams in the playoff => C1 vs C4 / C2 vs C3 => Winner of C1/C4 vs Winner of C2/C3 = Playoff Winner = qualified for the Euro.

League D four teams in the playoff => D1 vs D4 /D2 vs D3 => Winner of D1/D4 vs Winner of D2/D3 = Playoff Winner = qualified for the Euro. 

This would mean that the maximum teams in a League (realistically speaking League A) that have qualified for the Euro in the qualifiers would be 8 at best. Since there could/will be more than 8 League A teams to qualify for the Euro in the qualifiers, here is how this would work with less than 4 teams remaining in League A that did not qualify for the Euro.

With 3 teams in League A :

A10 vs B1 / A11 vs A12

B2 vs B5 / B3 vs B4

C1 vs C4 / C2 vs C3

D1 vs D4 / D2 vs D3

With 2 teams in League A :

A11 vs B2 / A12 vs B1

B3 vs B6 / B4 vs B5

C1 vs C4 / C2 vs C3

D1 vs D4 / D2 vs D3

With 1 team in League A :

A12 vs B3 / B1 vs B2

B4 vs B7 / B5 vs B6

C1 vs C4 / C2 vs C3

D1 vs D4 / D2 vs D3

If all teams in League A have qualified through the qualifiers (12 teams), therefore, this how it would work: there would automatically be at least 4 teams in League B to fight for that playoff spot (since there's 20 spots to take for the Euro and if League A take 12 of them, there's a maximum of 8 spots to take for the remaining Leagues in the qualifiers). Therefore, the same system as described above would have to be replicated.

Edited August 21 by Londonisblue

[Bobbywoodhogan 10,468]

3 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

The top 4 teams of each group go into a Semi Final, then whoever wins the semi finals go into the final and whoever wins that guarantees themselves a spot in the European Championships.........which is something they would have more than likely achieved anyway because I can't see any of the 12 teams from League A not qualifying for it through the qualifiers.

Just sounds stupid lol

[Londonisblue 578]

47 minutes ago, Londonisblue said:

here is how it works. League A is composed of the 12 so called best teams in UEFA. They're divided into 4 groups of 3 teams. All the 4 bottom teams of each group of League A are relegated to League B. Each group winners (4) at the end of November will qualify for the final competition in June 2019. There, each group winners will face each other in two semi finals (one leg each played in the same country/location as determined by the UEFA board). The two winners will play in the final in order to win the UEFA Nations League trophy. the two losers of the semis will play in a 3rd place final. So the winner wins the UEFA Nations League trophy. 

As for League B, C and D (Both Ireland, nothern and southern are in League B with Wales and Scotland are in League C), this pretty much works like football league (except there's no playoffs here). For League B : 4 groups of 3 teams. All 4 group winners are promoted to League A. All 4 group bottom are relegated to League C.

In League C, same system : all 4 group winners are promoted to League B. All 4 bottom teams are relegated to League D. The only tricky thing in League C is that there's one group composed of 3 teams and the three other groups are composed of 4 teams. Although this does not impact on the promotion system, it impacts the relegation system. In short, All the teams that finished bottom in the three 4 team groups are relegated to League D with the worst 3rd team of League C.

For League D, no relegation since this is the bottom league. All 4 group winners are promoted to League C.

Now, how this nonsense works with the Euro qualifiers?

The Nations League will span from september 2018 to november 2018 for group stages and will hold in June 2019 the final competition between the four best teams of League A (group winners) facing each other to win the UEFA Nations League trophy. Meanwhile, the Euro qualifiers will start on March 2019 and will finish on October/November 2019. The Euro qualifiers will be composed of 10 groups : five groups of 5 teams and five groups of 6 teams. The group winner and runner-up qualify for the Euro. Therefore, a total of 20 teams (10 group winners + 10 group runner-ups) will qualify for the Euro.

Since the Euro will be composed of 24 teams (nonsensical imo but whatever ...), and since only 20 teams would have qualified for the competition by the euro qualifiers, how do the 4 remaining teams qualify for that ? Well, this is where things start to get interesting, as @Scott Harris pointed that out...

Basically, the four remaining spots will be filled through the Nations League system. In each League (A, B, C and D), if there is 4 or more teams that did not qualify for the Euro through the Euro qualifiers route, the four best teams within each league (i.e, group winners, runner-ups etc ) that did not qualify already for the Euro through the qualifiers will be given a chance to qualify through semi final playoffs in March 2020.

The semi final will be played over a single leg at the stadium of the highest ranked team / better team. Then, the two winners will face each other in a playoff final in a location determined by a coin toss/draw (either at finalist A stadium or at finalist B stadium). The winner of that playoff will qualify for the Euro 2020. Since there's 4 Leagues, and therefore 4 playoff winners, we will have our 24 teams competing for the Euro => 10 Euro qualifiers group winners + 10 Euro qualifiers group runner-ups + 4 Nations League playoff winners (1 from each League, i.e, 1 from League A, 1 from League B, 1 from League C and 1 from League D) = 24 teams at the Euro.

Now, as @Scott Harris said, how come League A teams would not qualify for the Euro through qualifiers? According to the UEFA, if there's less than 4 teams in a League that did not qualify for the Euro (for instance in League A, out of the 12 teams, only 2 or 3 did not qualify for the Euro in the qualifiers), the highest ranked teams in the inferior division that did not qualify for the Euro through the qualifiers will face the teams in the superior division in order to have a 4 team playoff.

Theorically, this is how it would work :

League A four teams in the playoff => A1 vs A4 / A2 vs A3 => Winner of A1/A4 vs Winner of A2/A3 = Playoff Winner = qualified for the Euro.

League B four teams in the playoff => B1 vs B4 / B2 vs B3 => Winner of B1/B4 vs Winner of B2/B3   = Playoff Winner =  qualified for the Euro. 

League C four teams in the playoff => C1 vs C4 / C2 vs C3 => Winner of C1/C4 vs Winner of C2/C3 = Playoff Winner = qualified for the Euro.

League D four teams in the playoff => D1 vs D4 /D2 vs D3 => Winner of D1/D4 vs Winner of D2/D3 = Playoff Winner = qualified for the Euro. 

This would mean that the maximum teams in a League (realistically speaking League A) that have qualified for the Euro in the qualifiers would be 8 at best. Since there could/will be more than 8 League A teams to qualify for the Euro in the qualifiers, here is how this would work with less than 4 teams remaining in League A that did not qualify for the Euro.

With 3 teams in League A :

A10 vs B1 / A11 vs A12

B2 vs B5 / B3 vs B4

C1 vs C4 / C2 vs C3

D1 vs D4 / D2 vs D3

With 2 teams in League A :

A11 vs B2 / A12 vs B1

B3 vs B6 / B4 vs B5

C1 vs C4 / C2 vs C3

D1 vs D4 / D2 vs D3

With 1 team in League A :

A12 vs B3 / B1 vs B2

B4 vs B7 / B5 vs B6

C1 vs C4 / C2 vs C3

D1 vs D4 / D2 vs D3

If all teams in League A have qualified through the qualifiers (12 teams), therefore, this is how it would work: there would automatically be at least 4 teams in League B to fight for that playoff spot (since there's 20 spots to take for the Euro in the qualifiers and if League A take 12 of them, there's a maximum of 8 spots to take for the other remaining Leagues in the qualifiers). Therefore, the same system as described above would have to be replicated for playoffs.

Sorry for the very long reply, but I hope this will help understand how all of this nonsense works. In very brief, the winner of the Nations League only wins a trophy but no guaranteed spot for the Euro though. For that, the winner will have to qualify for it through the qualifiers. In the event the winner fails to do so in the qualifiers, it will have to play a playoff semi and final to qualify for the Euro.

Edited August 21 by Londonisblue

[PloKoon13 11,629]

I can't wait to watch some of the UEFA Nations League at the pub, considering that for literally every single Champions' League/Europa League knockout game I have to explain a concept as simple as the away goals rule to at least one person...

[Londonisblue 578]

7 minutes ago, PloKoon13 said:

I can't wait to watch some of the UEFA Nations League at the pub, considering that for literally every single Champions' League/Europa League knockout game I have to explain a concept as simple as the away goals rule to at least one person...

True. But instead you'll have to explain how the UEFA Nations League works ! feel free to use my post

[Valerie 8,550]

49 minutes ago, Londonisblue said:

True. But instead you'll have to explain how the UEFA Nations League works ! feel free to use my post

Could I just have a pint instead and a moan about the interruption of club football? Pleeeeeaaase?

[Munkworth 2,035]

On 22/08/2018 at 11:22, PloKoon13 said:

I can't wait to watch some of the UEFA Nations League at the pub, considering that for literally every single Champions' League/Europa League knockout game I have to explain a concept as simple as the away goals rule to at least one person...

Let me know which pub because I still have no idea what the f**k is going on 

[Leo Atrox 25]

On ‎21‎/‎08‎/‎2018 at 14:17, Londonisblue said:

Sorry for the very long reply, but I hope this will help understand how all of this nonsense works. In very brief, the winner of the Nations League only wins a trophy but no guaranteed spot for the Euro though. For that, the winner will have to qualify for it through the qualifiers. In the event the winner fails to do so in the qualifiers, it will have to play a playoff semi and final to qualify for the Euro.

Thank you for taking the time to explain this in an accessible manner. I think I get it now, lol. What I like about it is that as you stated, there are definitely some compelling matches to be played by the strongest European powers. Being Portuguese, I'll obviously be pulling for my national team firstly, and for England secondly, as well (except when they play Portugal ).

With that being said, I do prefer club football, and I don't like the national team interruptions and all the injuries they irritatingly create.

[Scott Harris 20,039]

Lucas Hernandez is such a cheat. He's like Neymar throwing himself to the floor all of the time.

[adineen98 764]

Ampadu played like he had 50 caps for Wales tonight. 

Then again, considering the standard of opposition (sigh), that wouldn't have been difficult.

[Londonisblue 578]

Giroud was not that great imo. He might lose his spot to Dembele eventually. Kanté was vital for France again. Could have had an assist too. On another note, Areola was fantastic !! He might consider a move to PL from what I've read if Buffon was to be the regular goalkeeper at PSG. I think he could have been an option for us during this summer. But tbf, PSG would have asked a ridiculous amount of cash for him !

Wales might actually do something of significance at international level with their 4-1 win over ireland. Pretty solid performance. But Ireland are dire atm. They'll certainly see themselves relegated in League C ... Unless Danemark still field 11 amateur players like they did in their friendly vs Slovakia !

[Stim 7,206]

edit: nvm

Edited September 7 by Stim

[adineen98 764]

4 hours ago, Londonisblue said:

Giroud was not that great imo. He might lose his spot to Dembele eventually. Kanté was vital for France again. Could have had an assist too. On another note, Areola was fantastic !! He might consider a move to PL from what I've read if Buffon was to be the regular goalkeeper at PSG. I think he could have been an option for us during this summer. But tbf, PSG would have asked a ridiculous amount of cash for him !

Wales might actually do something of significance at international level with their 4-1 win over ireland. Pretty solid performance. But Ireland are dire atm. They'll certainly see themselves relegated in League C ... Unless Danemark still field 11 amateur players like they did in their friendly vs Slovakia !

Those Danish amateurs would probably beat Ireland 

[Londonisblue 578]

Poland are 1-0 up vs Italy.

Edited September 7 by Londonisblue

[enigma 5,321]

Anybody else a bit annoyed Southgate hasn't even considered Mason Mount for the England squad? Comes off a good season for Vitesse and doing well for Derby, doesn't even get a call up. 

[WeatherMan 1,001]

So none of these matches apparently being shown live on terrestial tv here in the UK then ?  

 

[Old Shaggy 248]

46 minutes ago, WeatherMan said:

So none of these matches apparently being shown live on terrestial tv here in the UK then ?  

 

Nope, Sky only.

[WeatherMan 1,001]

1 hour ago, Old Shaggy said:

Nope, Sky only.

That's what I thought but thanks for confirming. Well that's yet another European Competition those of us in the Uk either can't or wont stump up to pay to watch.

Thanks a bunch Uefa.