UEFA has unveiled a new version of the Champions League anthem as Aston Villa prepares to re-enter European football’s elite competition next month.
Since the competition was rebranded in 1992, the now-iconic anthem has been a staple before every match. However, this season it will sound slightly different, a decision that has sparked some debate. UEFA officials have opted to bring back the ‘orchestral version’ of the original track.
The anthem, originally composed by English composer Tony Britten in 1992, features a chorus with the lines “Die Meister! Die Besten! Les grandes équipes! The champions!” The updated version places greater emphasis on the vocals, reduces the percussion, and has a faster tempo.
This version of the anthem hasn’t been played for 18 years, with its last appearance being before the 2006 final at the Stade de France, where Barcelona staged a comeback to defeat Arsenal.
Villa fans will experience this version at Villa Park for the first time this season after Unai Emery’s side secured a fourth-place finish last term.
UEFA has also introduced a new Champions League draw format, expanding the competition to 36 teams in a revamped league phase (previously the group stage). In this phase, teams will play eight matches against eight different opponents, rather than facing three teams twice as in the past.
Teams will be seeded into four pots based on their club coefficient at the start of the season, with Villa expected to be in the lowest pot. Each team will be drawn against two opponents from each pot, one at home and one away. Additionally, teams cannot face opponents from their own country and can be drawn against a maximum of two sides from the same nation.
The draw, scheduled for August 29, will involve 36 teams being manually drawn using physical balls. For each team drawn, an automated system will randomly select eight opponents from the four pots, with the match locations (home or away) determined by the software. The full fixture list, including match dates and kick-off times, will be announced on Saturday, August 31, ensuring no clashes with teams participating in the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League in the same cities.
GET MORE NEWS ON LIFESTYLEROOM.NET
Leave a Reply