Juve president Agnelli: New club competition important despite little value
A third European club competition will be important for smaller teams seeking to increase their exposure, European Club Association chairman Andrea Agnelli said yesterday.
The 32-team yet-to-be-named competition is being discussed with UEFA for 2021 and beyond. It would be played in addition to the Champions League and the Europa League.
“It’s difficult to see commercial value when you look at a third-tier competition because there is very little commercial value, but sometimes rival Augsburg today, before travelling to second-place Hertha Berlin on Friday. A win against its closest rival could see Bayern open up a five-point lead after six matches.
‘DEATH THREAT’
Hoffenheim said it was shocked by the animosity displayed by Borussia Dortmund fans toward its billionaire backer, Dietmar Hopp, in the 1-1 draw on Saturday, when fans displayed what the club called a “death threat” against him.
Dortmund fans rolled out a huge banner showing Hopp’s head in crosshairs over the words “Hasta la vista, Hopp” across a large section of the guest we have to listen to our fellow club members who want to participate more,” Agnelli said at a soccer conference in the Spanish capital. “The fact that they are participating in international games would allow them to grow and showcase their players going forward.”
The Juventus president said there were initial discussions about expanding the Europa League from 48 teams to 64, but the consensus was that it would ultimately hurt the second-tier competition which already “struggles” commercially compared to the Champions League. The solution was to reduce the number of clubs in the Europa block at the stadium in Hoffenheim. A similar banner, only much smaller, caused a stir 10 years ago.
Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke apologised for the banner.
Hopp is a target for Dortmund fans after initiating legal proceedings against more than 30 of them for alleged obscenities during a game last season.
HERTHA HERO
It took some time, but Ondrej Duda finally seems to have arrived at Hertha in his third season at the club.
The Slovakia midfielder sealed the 4-2 win over Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday, League and have all three European club competitions played with 32 clubs.
Agnelli also said making adjustments to the new international calendar that will begin in 2024 is “the first thing we have to tackle” as European clubs.
He said clubs would like to see all the confederation tournaments being played at the same time every four years, on even years, to help free up vacation time for players.
“We have to think of a moment where players can have a proper four-week rest period,” he said. “And I’m saying this in the interest of all. Players are exceptional, but taking his goal tally to a leagueleading four in four games.
Duda only made three league appearances - 67 minutes altogether - in his first season at Hertha after joining from Legia Warsaw in 2016, while he scored one goal in 17 appearances last season.
GOETZE’S FALL
Mario Goetze, who scored Germany’s World Cup-winning goal in 2014, has yet to play for Dortmund in the Bundesliga this season.
The 26-year-old Goetze was left out of the squad altogether for the game at Hoffenheim, a decision that coach Lucien Favre said was purely sporting. they are not machines. Football players are like Formula One cars, if you actually use them too much, they just break.”
FIFA has been leading talks to discuss the new calendar and issues such as the continental championships and when clubs must release players for national team duty.
Agnelli also said it would be ideal to limit the potential maximum number of games for clubs to 43 per season.
“I want to make sure we are well heard when we craft the next international match calendar,” he said. “The clubs are the ones that truly invest and take the risks.”