Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha was complimentary of the new format and believes it has been a success.
“I’ve enjoyed it,” Onuoha told BBC Sport. “There were lots of good games in the group stage and lots of big moments, and not just when the big teams have played each other either.
“The biggest change for me was that teams only played each other once in the league stage. It meant no-one lived or died by that result, and also the energy from the lesser teams was very different to when teams knew they would play each other again in a few weeks’ time.
“Aston Villa beating Bayern Munich was a good example. Bayern did not get a second chance against them, when they probably would not have slipped up again – but they were still able to claw back the points they dropped.”
Eventual champions PSG lost three of their opening five games, before a late resurgence saw them win their next three matches to secure a play-off tie with fellow Ligue 1 side Brest.
After winning that, Luis Enrique’s side met Liverpool, the team who finished top of the league phase, in the last 16.
“While PSG are clearly a top-quality side, their journey shows that finding form at the right time is what matters,” added Onuoha. “They were out of the top 24 until they won their penultimate game, and then got through the play-off stage.
“That’s another thing I like about the format, because PSG have shown that in the future, it doesn’t matter if you don’t make the top eight.”
Journalist Nicky Bandini made a fine point about the new format benefitting Luis Enrique’s side.
“Without this format, we would maybe not have seen this PSG team that has developed during the season because they could have gone out,” said Bandini. “This way we get to see them progress, and it feels like a more entertaining journey.
“Always so much in the Champions League has been about coming good at the right time – it has always been about what’s your form like in the spring rather than your form at the start of the tournament.
“But I do think with the extra games this year, and with the very specific journey we have seen PSG go on, you really have been able to observe this development in real time.”
