Sports
After a long gap due to the outbreak of coronavirus, sports is finally taking baby steps towards return but in empty stadiums.
Updated : Aug 04, 2020, 02:49 PM IST | Edited by : Karen Noronha
After a long gap due to the outbreak of coronavirus, sports is finally taking baby steps towards return but in empty stadiums.
Fans are only witnessing the contests virtually as sports is being played behind closed doors, which is always better than no sports at all.
Now with domestic seasons wrapped up, football’s biggest competition – UEFA Champions League - returns from where it last stopped.
The big guns of Europe are back and the action will begin in less than a week. However, unlike in the past, there have been slight changes in the format.
Here's all you need to know about the Champions League:
When and where will the Champions League round of 16 take place?
UEFA has decided to get rid of the home and away fixtures, to accommodate for the time that's lost. This time all the remaining fixtures will be played at two stadiums in Lisbon, Portugal.
However, the remaining round-of-16 matches will take place as decided, with the home side hosting their opponent.
What is the new format for the Champions League live?
This year the quarter-finals and semi-finals will be a one-off fixture and it is being played at a neutral venue.
When will the Champions League matches be played in IST?
All matches will be played at 00:30 hours as per IST.
Where can you watch the Champions League live?
The Champions League will broadcast on SONY SIX network. You can also live stream the matches on Sony LIV.
The fixtures for Champions League:
The remaining round-of-16 matches will be played on August 8-9.
August 8: Juventus vs Lyon & Manchester City vs Real Madrid
August 9: Bayern Munich vs Chelsea & Barcelona vs Napoli
The quarter-finals will be played on August 13-16.
August 13: Atlanta vs PSG
August 14: RB Leipzig vs Atletico Madrid
The fixtures for August 15 and 16 will be decided on the results of the remaining round-of-16 clashes.
Both the semi-finals will be played on August 19 and the final will be played on August 24.
Substitution rule:
The teams can now make five substitutions in a match. However, the substitution will only be allowed at three points during the match. These three occasions do not include changes at half-time, between the end of normal playing time and extra time, and at half-time during extra time. One additional substitution will also be allowed during extra time.
The number of players will also increase from 18 to 23. Earlier this number was only allowed just for the finals.