UEFA chief backs changes to Champions League and hits out at Super League plans
UEFA have insisted their new-look Champions League will be a huge success - and warned the European Super League concept will “destroy” football.
European football bosses have given full details of the 36-team format system for next season, which will also include tennis-style seedings into the knock-out stages.
But UEFA’s Director of Football Giorgio Marchetti has insisted they ditched a previous plan because the clubs objected and says any European league that scraps qualification would be a disaster for the game.
Marchetti said: “We’ve been studying the format for six years and it shows that UEFA is good at listening. When we put it out for debate, it was clear the reaction was a no-go because an element we underestimated was the point that the leagues made would be that it would destroy the domestic leagues.
“You can work on anything but you also need to be intellectually correct. We couldn’t honestly say there would be no impact on the leagues – there is an impact on the leagues. It’s quite obvious. You need the incentive of qualifying for Europe, especially to Champions League, is too important for the leagues, both sporting and commercial. When you see it you have to admit that yes, it is true.
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“We believe that this league, every year all the participants must come from domestic competition. We don’t see how you can change it without severely affecting the importance.”
The ESL refuses to go away and it has always featured an automatic passport for the bigger clubs based on previous success rather than results.
That was at the heart of the backlash against the Premier League Big Six who signed up for the ESL but will now take part in the new-look Champions League which starts from next season.
It is so complicated that UEFA estimate that a draw by hand would “take three or four hours” and will largely be computerised. But it offers the chance for England to have up to SEVEN clubs in the league stage.
Florentino Perez is among the biggest advocates of the Super League (Getty Images)Four clubs are guaranteed a spot, a fifth is available based on coefficients with the winner of the Europa League promoted to the Champions League. If the Champions League winner did not finish in the top four they would also get into the following year’s competition.
The tennis system would see clubs seeded in the knock-out from where they finished in the knock-out. Premier League clubs are vying with Italy and Germany for one of the two extra places for next season and West Ham's game with Freiburg in the Europa League on Thursday could be crucial in deciding who gets it.
Meanwhile, UEFA are also looking at having an extra “fan park” in Croke Park for the Europa League because the demand for tickets for the final in Dublin will be so great, especially if Liverpool qualify.
Marchetti added: “We are looking at potential viewing venues. Gone to reserve Croke Park as a potential viewing venue but it might not be enough. There are a couple of pairings that would be extremely challenging to find ways to everyone who wanted to be in Dublin. We work with the local authority and Football Supporters Europe.”
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