UEFA could make three major changes to Champions League format after 'complaint' from Arsenal

UEFA are deliberating making three substantial changes to the Champions League format despite only recent changing up the competition in a huge way.

For the first time in the history of the competition, the Champions League moved to a 36-team league table where teams played a total of eight fixtures which was determined by UEFA's software.

The top eight teams secured automatic qualification to the round of 16, with those ranked ninth all the way down to 24th having play a two-legged knockout play-off.

Although unpopular at first, the format - a completely different approach to the previous way of doing things - has been praised for creating more excitement and jeopardy in games.

However, many still have issues with the setup - which saw Liverpool top the table with 21 points but lose to Paris Saint-Germain in the next round.

PSG squeezed past Aston Villa in the quarter-finals and will take on Arsenal in the final four after the Gunners trounced Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate.

Barcelona and Inter Milan square off in the other semi-final for a chance to play in the final at the Allianz Arena on 31 May.

But according to German outlet Bild, UEFA are poised to discuss potential changes for the 2025/26 Champions League campaign - with one of Arsenal's major gripes on the agenda.

UEFA to discuss three major changes to Champions League

It's said that Arsenal have been critical of the format because they had to play Real away from home in the second leg even though they finished eight places ahead of them in the table.

Although Arsenal won 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu, they will also have the exact same fixture lay-out in the semis against PSG even though the French side also had to go into the play-offs.

Arsenal will have to play the second leg at home for the second consecutive round. Image: Getty

Barcelona can also feel hard done by as they finished ahead of Inter but will play the second leg in Milan.

They were afforded the privilege of being at home in the round of 16, as were the other seven sides but a rule change could mean return leg home advantage is introduced in the entire knockout phase.

In addition, it's claimed UEFA will consider scrapping extra time and implementing penalty shoot-outs after a draw - though SPORTbible understands that football's law-making body, IFAB, has not received any requests to bring in blanket ruling on extra time.

However, abolishing the country protection that was broken this season could be a possibility.

Traditionally teams from the same nation could not meet until quarter-finals but this time it happened in the play-offs as well as the round of 16 - with PSG hammering Brest, Bayern Munich beating Bayer Leverkusen and Real getting past Atletico on penalties.

It's believed the fixtures are not seen as attractive and will be a key topic at the Club Competitions Committee on May 30, a day before the Champions League final.