The first campaign of the restructured Champions League was won by Paris Saint-Germain as they enjoyed a record-breaking 5-0 victory over Inter Milan - but the 25/26 season's iteration will look a lot different after Mikel Arteta's Arsenal made a complaint in April.
Romanian referee Istvan Kovacs has come under fire for not adding any injury time, despite three goals and six substitutions in the second-half.
Now, after a month away, the Champions League has kicked off again with the first qualifying rounds taking place. The competition is subject to major change as UEFA have confirmed alterations to the format.
UEFA Make Tweak to 25/26 Champions League Rules
Changes were decided in a recent UEFA meeting after Arsenal complaints
As mentioned, Arsenal - who remain one of the biggest clubs to never win the Champions League - filed a complaint to UEFA, the competition's organisers, in mid-April. They were frustrated that, irrespective of where they finished in the league phase, who played the first leg at home was randomly drawn.
In the case of the Gunners, they were made to travel to Spain for the second leg of their quarter-final with Real Madrid, who finished 11th this season, and the same occurred in the two-legged semi-final clash against PSG, who finished 15th.
In 2024/25, the inaugural year of the new-look format, a team's position in the league phase determined their seeding for the play-off round. Teams that finished in the top eight got a bye into the Round of 16, whereas the play-off winners were forced to play an additional match.
The Champions League trophy does not automatically go to the winners after the match.
Despite overthrowing the reigning champions, Los Blancos, Arteta - widely regarded as one of the best managers in world football - and his staff voiced their opinion over the situation after being aggrieved that his side were not rewarded for their favourable position in the league phase.
Their complaints, however, have not fallen on deaf ears and UEFA have listened to their displeasure, as the governing body have decided on a change to how teams are drawn in knockout ties. Arsenal may not be too happy with the change, though.
Per ESPN, UEFA have confirmed the new seeding regulations for the Champions League knockout rounds, but they have decided not to give home advantage purely based upon League Phase placing.
Following Arsenal's discontent, it was expected that UEFA would determine the team which plays at home in the return leg of the quarterfinals and semifinals based upon the final League Phase positions of the teams involved in the tie, rather than by random draw.
However, while there will be no random draws going forward to determine the venue of the first and second legs, they have instead decided to give priority only to the teams who finished in positions 1st - 4th - or the clubs who knock them out.
Under the new rules, using the 2024/25 season as an example, after knocking out number 1 seeds Liverpool in the last 16, PSG would have guaranteed home advantage for the second leg in the quarterfinals and semifinals. Arsenal complained that they were away for the second leg of their semifinal tie against PSG after their superior League Phase finish, but that would also have been the case under the new rules.
ESPN have pointed out that the teams that finish third or fourth in the League Phase are actually now at a disadvantage, because it is now impossible for either to be at home in the second leg of a semifinal.
They add that only the teams who finish first, second, seventh, eighth, ninth, 10th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 23rd, 24th can get a home second leg in the semifinal. As well as the Champions League, the rule change also applies to the UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League and UEFA Women's Champions League.
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