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The Paradox of Choice

18 games is too many games. It’s as simple as that…

The Paradox of Choice

Words:

MUNDIAL

Images:

Getty Images

Decision paralysis is the inability to decide out of fear of making the wrong choice or being overwhelmed by too many options.

That was you last night, wasn’t it? Television remote in sweaty hand, hands rattling, desperately trying to overcome the noise of the cogs whirring in your silly little head.

“God, PSG going out would be crazy, wouldn’t it? But what about Aston Villa Celtic? I can’t miss that. And everyone was talking about Lille for some reason, maybe I can sneak 15 minutes of that in the second half. OH, GOD. Manchester City, as well. They couldn’t actually, could they? People talk about Atalanta a lot, too. Hang on, why am I on Sturm Graz v RB Leipzig. Where’s that fucking remote!!!!”

18 Champions League games kicking off at the exact same time is an apt example of what Barry Schwartz described as The Paradox of Choice in his 2004 book of the same name. To be overly simplistic, Schwartz essentially argued that giving people too much choice ultimately makes them quite sad.

For a brief moment, we thought we had a solution. Yesterday, we genuinely discussed a way to get 18 screens on the go, but we quickly realised that would be extremely mental. So instead, we settled for the next best thing: a third of an eye on the Goals Show, a third of an eye on social media, and, most crucially, a third of an eye on Getty Images’ incredible library of photos. 

It was like we were there, at all 18 stadiums, hearing the music, smelling the pyro fumes and tasting the ecstasy and the agony. Strap in for one killer image for every single Champions League game last night. 


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