Inter/Arsenal and Liverpool/Real banned in the draw

I get the point of not wanting the exact same match every year, but the league phase already creates enough randomness on its own. This just feels like another layer of meddling that people will forget about as soon as the draw is done imo
 
The rule probably helps novelty a little, but it does not solve the underlying issue that the same clubs are in the mix so often. If UEFA wanted fewer repeat fixtures, they would need a broader reform of qualification and seeding rather than a narrow ban on specific pairings.
 
On a basic level I understand the intention, because repeated fixtures can make the league phase feel a bit samey, but the execution is so clumsy that it ends up inviting more criticism than praise. The reverse fixture being allowed is the bit that really gives the game away, because it makes the rule feel less like a principle and more like someone trying to tidy up a spreadsheet after the fact. And honestly that is the problem with UEFA all over, they keep layering on these little fixes like they are solving something huge when all they are doing is making the whole thing more annoying for fans who just want the draw to be the draw and the football to sort itself out, proper unnecessary meddling and it does my head in
 
I do not think it is as bad as people are making out. It is a small tweak to avoid obvious repetition, not the end of the competition.
 
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