They won their final game in the league format last season to qualify for the last 24 on goal difference, drew Real Madrid in the next round and were dumped out. Was last season the first time since 2013 they didn’t make the last 16 in Europe?
The more of something there is and the more you spread it, the less of value it seems.
Champions League group stages used to six rounds with fixtures on Tuesdays and Wednesdays only with all kicking off simultaneously. That was 12 kick off slots over the entire group stage. Free television had first choice of games in all 12 slots.
Now you have eight rounds of fixtures and 31 kick off slots over those eight rounds and only six games where the free TV broadcaster has first choice.
There’s no real jeopardy for any team worth its salt.
The only reasonable argument in favour of the format is that it gives a big club in a crap league more big games against a greater variety of teams, ie. Celtic last season. Celtic’s programme of fixtures last season was attractive. And it’s not an insignificant argument.
But Celtic aren’t there this season.
This season’s group stage has been a snooze.
It’s like they were so determined to create an extra knockout round that they inadvertently completely ruined the group phase, on Champions League chat I think no matter what the format it’s low key before Xmas.
Bumping for ease of access for fellow cabbaged couch dwellers.
Finding this listing and the subsequent use of the remote likely the height of today’s exertions
2 Likes
Smugby is losing market share.
That’s it really.
Friday 19 December
Men
9.30am Golf Mauritius Open, DP World Tour Sky Sports Main Event
11am Tennis Next Generation ATP Finals Sky Sports Tennis
12pm Snooker Scottish Open TNT Sports 1
12.30pm Darts World Championship First Round Sky Sports Main Event
1.30pm Cricket India v South Africa, T20 International TNT Sports 2
7pm Darts World Championship First Round Sky Sports Darts
7pm Bologna v Inter Milan, Supercoppa semi final Premier Sports 2
7.30pm Borussia Dortmund v Borussia Mönchengladbach, Bundesliga Bundesliga YouTube
7.45pm Leinster v Ulster, United Rugby Championship TG4, Premier Sports 1
7.45pm Leicester Tigers v Gloucester, Premiership Rugby TNT Sports 1
8pm Swansea City v Wrexham, Championship Sky Sports Main Event
10pm Cricket New Zealand v West Indies, Test Day 3 TNT Sports 3
11.30pm Cricket Australia v England, Ashes Day 4 TNT Sports 1
Saturday 20 December
Men
1am Boxing Jake Paul v Anthony Joshua Netflix
10am Golf Mauritius Open, DP World Tour Sky Sports Golf
12.30pm Newcastle United v Chelsea, Premier League TNT Sports 1
12.30pm Southampton v Coventry City, Championship Sky Sports Main Event
12.30pm Darts World Championship Second Round Sky Sports Darts
1pm GAA All Ireland junior club hurling semi finals Spórt TG4 YouTube
1pm Snooker Scottish Open TNT Sports 2
1.30pm Stormers v Lions, United Rugby Championship TG4
1.30pm Horse Racing Ascot and Haydock Virgin Media One, ITV4
3pm Manchester City v West Ham, Premier League Premier Sports 1
3pm Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh, United Rugby Championship Premier Sports 2
3pm Northampton v Sale Sharks, Premiership Rugby TNT Sports 1
3pm Saracens v Exeter Chiefs, Premiership Rugby TNT Sports Extra
4pm Sharks v Bulls, United Rugby Championship TG4
4pm Tennis Next Generation ATP Finals Sky Sports Tennis
5.30pm Ospreys v Munster, United Rugby Championship Premier Sports 1
5.30pm Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool, Premier League Sky Sports Main Event
5.30pm RB Leipzig v Bayer Leverkusen, Bundesliga Sky Sports Football
5.30pm Harlequins v Bristol Bears, Premiership Rugby TNT Sports 1, ITV4
6pm Golf PNC Championship Sky Sports Golf
7pm Darts World Championship Second Round Sky Sports Darts
7.45pm Dragons v Connacht, United Rugby Championship TG4, Premier Sports 1
8pm Everton v Arsenal, Premier League Sky Sports Main Event
8pm Leeds United v Crystal Palace, Premier League Sky Sports Premier League
8pm Lyon v Toulouse, Top 14 Rugby Premier Sports 2
8.05pm RTÉ Sport Awards 2025 RTÉ One
10pm Cricket New Zealand v West Indies, Test Day 4 TNT Sports 3
10pm NFL Commanders v Eagles Sky Sports Main Event
10.20pm Match of the Day BBC One
11.30pm Cricket Australia v England, Ashes Day 5 TNT Sports 1
Sunday 21 December
Men
1.20am NFL Bears v Packers Sky Sports Main Event
7am Golf Mauritius Open, DP World Tour Sky Sports Golf
12.30pm Darts World Championship Second Round Sky Sports Darts
1pm Snooker Scottish Open TNT Sports 2
1pm Girona v Atletico Madrid, La Liga Premier Sports 1
1.30pm GAA Slaughtneil v Loughrea, All Ireland senior club semi final TG4
1.30pm Hearts v Rangers, Scottish Premiership Sky Sports Main Event
2pm GAA All Ireland intermediate club semi finals Spórt TG4 YouTube
3pm Newcastle v Bath, Premiership Rugby TNT Sports 1
3.15pm Villarreal v Barcelona, La Liga Premier Sports 1
3.30pm GAA Ballygunner v St Martin’s, All Ireland senior club semi final TG4
4.30pm Aston Villa v Manchester United, Premier League Sky Sports Main Event
4.30pm Golf PNC Championship Sky Sports Golf
5pm Tennis Next Generation ATP Finals Sky Sports Tennis
7pm Darts World Championship Second Round Sky Sports Main Event
7pm Morocco v Comoros, AFCON group stage E4, Channel 4 Sport YouTube
7.45pm Genoa v Atalanta, Serie A TNT Sports 1
8.05pm Bordeaux Bègles v Toulon, Top 14 Rugby Premier Sports 2
10pm Cricket New Zealand v West Indies, Test Day 5 TNT Sports 3
10.30pm Match of the Day BBC One
1.20am Monday NFL Ravens v Patriots Sky Sports Main Event
1 Like
Friday 26 December
Men
- 1:00am – NBA: Lakers v Rockets – Sky Sports +
- 1:15am – NFL: Chiefs v Broncos – Sky Sports Main Event
- 3:30am – NBA: Nuggets v Timberwolves – Sky Sports Main Event
- 12:30pm – Soccer: Birmingham v Derby, Championship – Sky Sports Main Event
- 12:30pm – Soccer: Angola v Zimbabwe, AFCON – Channel 4 Sport YouTube
- 12:30pm – Horse Racing: Kempton – Virgin Media One / ITV1
- 1:00pm – Horse Racing: Leopardstown – RTÉ 2
- 1:00pm – Soccer: Millwall v Ipswich, Championship – Sky Sports +
- 3:00pm – Soccer: Egypt v South Africa, AFCON – Channel 4 Sport YouTube
- 3:00pm – Rugby: Cardiff v Dragons, URC – Premier Sports 1
- 4:30pm – GAA: Dublin v Limerick, All-Ireland SHC Quarter Final – TG4
- 5:30pm – Rugby: Scarlets v Ospreys, URC – Premier Sports 1
- 5:30pm – Soccer: Wrexham v Sheffield United, Championship – Sky Sports Main Event
- 7:15pm – GAA Documentary: Clann na nGael – Comórtas Peile – TG4
- 8:00pm – Soccer: Manchester United v Newcastle – Sky Sports Main Event
- 11:30pm – Cricket: Ashes Day 2 – TNT Sports 1
Saturday 27 December
Men
- 12:30pm – Soccer: Nottingham Forest v Manchester City – TNT Sports 1
- 12:30pm – Soccer: Hibernian v Hearts – Sky Sports Main Event
- 12:30pm – Darts: World Championship (Third Round) – Sky Sports Darts
- 3:00pm – Soccer: Liverpool v Wolves – Premier Sports 1
- 4:25pm – GAA: Cúil na Bliana, Top 30 Goals of 2025 – TG4
- 5:30pm – Soccer: Chelsea v Aston Villa – Sky Sports Main Event
- 7:45pm – Rugby: Munster v Leinster, URC – Premier Sports 1
- 10:25pm – Match of the Day – BBC One
- 11:30pm – Cricket: Ashes Day 3 – TNT Sports 1
Sunday 28 December
Men
- 12:30pm – Darts: World Championship (Third Round) – Sky Sports Darts
- 1:00pm – Horse Racing: Leopardstown – RTÉ 2
- 3:35pm – GAA: Kilkenny v Tipperary, All-Ireland SHC Semi Final – TG4
- 4:30pm – Soccer: Crystal Palace v Tottenham – Sky Sports Main Event
- 6:00pm - NFL - 3 games - Sky Sports
- 7:45pm – Soccer: Atalanta v Inter, Serie A – TNT Sports 1
- 8:00pm – Golf: TGL, New York v Atlanta – Sky Sports Golf
- 10:25pm – Match of the Day – BBC One
- 11:30pm – Cricket: Ashes Day 4 – TNT Sports 1
Women
- 3:45pm – Tennis: Sabalenka v Kyrgios – BBC One
16 Likes
I don’t understand why you don’t get more likes for your efforts. It’s much appreciated here anyway. I’ll wish you a happy Christmas and a sporting year long new-year.
4 Likes
Jasus, the Limerick lads will be in the horrors by the angelus on Friday.
No hassle I find it useful posting it here myself anyway so I can dip back in and out as the weekend goes on.
I saw the 4:30pm fixture. Not sure what kind of sick joke that is…
Happy xmas 
2 Likes
You need to write it out on copy paper if you want to be taken seriously
…and have three or four different coloured biros.
You’re well on the way now to a watermark and sponsorship 
1 Like
What actual day is Munster Vs Leinster?
Saturday evening
1 Like
No mention of Connacht v Ulster above but that’s on TG4 at 5.30 on Saturday as well.
1 Like
Thanks. I’d have been waiting around for it this evening. I always enjoy it.
Saturday evening?