A UEFA plan to limit the amount of clubs able to qualify for the Champions League has been set out in a Football Association report, which would bring an end to the Premier League’s top-four battle.
Moves to protect "elite European club revenue streams" are laid out in the FA report, which details the plans that European football's governing body have to expand their continental competitions, the Mirror reports.
The Premier League’s top-four race has been extremely competitive in recent seasons, with the established ‘big-six’ facing challenges from the likes of Leicester City, Sheffield United and Wolves.
However, the new proposals would bring an end to that battle as application to the Champions League would be extremely different - and wouldn’t be in its current open format.
The new plans, which would come into force in 2024, state that the 32-team Champions League for the 2024/25 season would be chosen based on UEFA's domestic club rankings from the period between the 2020/21 and 2023/24 seasons - effectively making the tournament a closed shop.
For clubs outside that bracket, entry to future Champions League tournaments would have to come through either winning the Premier League outright, or reaching the semi-finals of a revamped 32-team Europa League.
Some clubs in Europe believe that performances in continental competitions should be placed above domestic performances when determining qualification for the tournament, which has seen Roma and Ajax in recent seasons reach the semi-finals but then miss out entirely in future seasons.
Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli has been vocal in his support for this move, citing Roma as an example back in March when he questioned whether it was right for Atalanta to be in this year's competition, “without international history and thanks to just one great season."
There are also plans for the Europa League to follow a similar pattern from 2024, with new teams able to qualify via league position or finishing in the last four of the new UEFA Conference League.
"The FA continues to work with all stakeholders to reach an acceptable position," the report adds.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/champions-league-manchester-united-city-18163946
UEFA Changes
posted on 28/4/20
Ugh the reply function needs to be amended drastically.
posted on 29/4/20
No time for this wasteful pursuit of tinkering with an anachronism.
Time for European football to evolve by following a path similar to the historical development of the game's origins.
Knock-out cup competitions are a bit of froth, but the example given by the 19th century FA cup playing teams forming a football league meant the game became the phenomena it did through the 20th century.
Time for European football clubs to do the same for the 21st century.
Cups = knock-about fun for chumps
Leagues = tests of quality, depth, class, integrity etc
posted on 29/4/20
comment by Doggie Dog© - Psychic spies from China try to steal your mind's elation (U22357)
posted 9 hours, 19 minutes ago
Bring on the Superleague.
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Why would you want a European super league? I daresay you voted Brexit, to distance yourself from anything to do with Europe.
posted on 29/4/20
comment by sandy (U20567)
posted 20 minutes ago
comment by Doggie Dog© - Psychic spies from China try to steal your mind's elation (U22357)
posted 9 hours, 19 minutes ago
Bring on the Superleague.
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Why would you want a European super league? I daresay you voted Brexit, to distance yourself from anything to do with Europe.
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Nope.
posted on 29/4/20
Voted to stay.
posted on 1/5/20
comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 2 days, 21 hours ago
Nice try.
I knew City had been in trouble for paying their players a decent wage.
Could you now move on to match fixing.
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I did, but you 'conveniently' ignored it. so here it is again, just for you:
Manchester City's manager Tom Maley was suspended from football for life. Tom Maley was pointed out by name by Meredith, who claimed that Maley ordered him to bribe Leake, as well as that corruption was common among Manchester City's administration.
posted on 1/5/20
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 1/5/20
Wealthy owners set the wages.
The idea of a free-market meritocracy was unheard of in the UK back then.
posted on 1/5/20
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 1/5/20
Do you come from a family of slave traders?