Gundogan believes new Champions League format is bad for players

(Reuters) - Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan says the new format for the UEFA Champions League is flawed and will add to player fatigue, calling it the lesser of two evils in comparison to the controversial European Super League.

UEFA announced this week that they would expand the Champions League to 36 clubs from the 2024-25 season, with teams set to play four more matches compared to the current format.

But Germany international Gundogan believes there is nothing wrong with the competition as it stands.

"With all the Super League stuff going on, can we please also speak about the new Champions League format? More and more games, is no one thinking about us players? The new UCL format is just the lesser of the two evils in comparison to the Super League," he said on Thursday via Twitter.

"The UCL format right now works great and that is why it's the most popular club competition in the world for us players and for the fans."

Plans for a breakaway European Super League to replace the Champions League collapsed this week when nine of the 12 founding member clubs, including six from England, pulled out under massive pressure from fans, politicians, soccer officials and even the British royals.

(Reporting by Nick Said, editing by Ed Osmond)