48 UEFA BACKUP SPOTS A NO-GO
UEFA have insisted their new-look Champions League will be a huge success – and warned the European Super League concept would “destroy” football.
European football bosses unveiled full details of the 36-team format for next season, which will include tennis-style seedings for the knock-out stages.
UEFA’s Giorgio Marchetti revealed they ditched a previous proposal, which provided back-up places for teams, based on historical performance, following objections from the domestic leagues.
He said: “We’ve been studying the format for six years and it shows that UEFA is good at listening.
Reaction
“When we put it out for debate, it was clear the reaction was no-go because an element we underestimated was the point that the leagues made, which was that it would destroy the domestic leagues.
“You need the incentive of qualifying for Europe, especially to Champions League. It is too important for the leagues, both sporting and commercial.
“We believe that this league, every year all the participants must come from domestic competition.”
Past proposals for the ESL have 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 but will now compete to take part in the new-look Champions League.
The new format is so complicated that UEFA estimate a draw by hand would “take three or four hours”, meaning much of the selection process will be automated.
But it offers the chance for England to have up to seven clubs in the 36team league phase.
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.
THEY’RE LISTENING: UEFA’s Giorgio Marchetti