AP sources: UEFA explores 4-team season opening tournament
By ROB HARRIS
AP Global Soccer Writer
VIENNA (AP) — People with knowledge of the talks tell The Associated Press that UEFA has discussed creating a mini-tournament to start the season with four teams from the Champions League. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss private talks. The discussion follows a UEFA decision to back off from reshaping the final matches of the Champions League by replacing the two-leg semifinals with single matches in the same location as the final. One option is to select the four teams that finish at the top of the 36-team standings that will become the main phase of the Champions League from 2024.