Big plans for Euro shake-up
City striker lifts lid on strain in front of goal
EUROPE’S top clubs want to reshape the Champions League within the next three months.
The European Club Association (ECA) board have set up a working group to outline a fresh round of detailed proposals.
AC Milan chief executive Ivan Gazidis is chairman of the working group and there is a target of agreeing the new-look format by March, in the hope of getting it rubber-stamped by UEFA and introduced by 2024.
One proposal is to have a league of 32 teams. Each team would be seeded and get 10 games.
Reaching the last 16 would also guarantee qualification for Champions League the following season.
It could be bad news for clubs like Leicester, as the shake-up could mean a top-four Premier League finish would no longer guarantee a place.
Another proposal is to have six groups of six teams, with groups of eight also discussed.
However, it is believed the ECA are now set on having 32 teams and are looking at up to 10 different variants of qualification, groups and fixtures.
The idea is to spice up the group stages with more big games.
GABRIEL JESUS admits handling the pressure of delivering goals on demand at Manchester City has pushed him to the edge at times.
The Manchester City striker was on the mark with a hat-trick against Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday, making it five goals in three matches.
But with a first Champions League match-ball in hand, he opened up on the pressure he has loaded on himself during leaner times at City.
“Last month I was no good and I wasn’t happy,” he said.
“I played nine or 10 games and I didn’t score and I missed chances, so I’m not happy with that.
“When this happens, of course, I cannot be happy.
“I think it happens with other players as well, but when I’m not happy with myself, I want to shoot myself in the head because it’s difficult for me. I take it personally, of course. I think, ‘Oh my God, I have to score, I have to score, I have to score.’
“When I have the chance sometimes I miss because I think too much and put too much pressure on myself.”
Jesus has had to battle against not only a club legend but the stopstart nature of his role as back-up to Sergio Aguero since signing in January 2017.
And while he has had purple patches, his overall returns are not quite as good as the Argentinian.
Jesus has netted every 145 league minutes over the last two seasons.
Aguero, who last season scored every 118 minutes, has found the net once for every 90 minutes played this season.
The Brazilian insists he is happy with a rivalry which remains friendly, but he knows he would be a certain starter at most other top-flight clubs.
“I’m in a single competition with Sergio – a friendly competition,” he said.
“I hope that when he plays he scores. I always want him to help the team and his team-mates.
“When I play he does the same, which is amazing.”
Jesus is set to continue in Aguero’s absence (thigh) this Sunday at Arsenal, and one statistic which bodes well is his record away from home.
Where last season Jesus scored just three of his 21 goals away from the comfort of the Etihad, this campaign has seen him score all 10 of his strikes on the road.
“It is important for me to keep scoring goals because I have to,” he said, dismissing the significance of that statistic. “I’m at a big club and play with big players.
“Always I think, ‘Wow, I have to score because I’m playing for a big club in big competitions.’
“Sometimes you don’t and that has happened with me.
“But I keep working and try, try, try, and this month was a good month for me.”