EUR GOING CUP CRAZY
PREMIER League teams will soon be competing for the right to play in a THIRD European club competition.
UEFA is set to launch a brand new tournament in three years’ time, with changes also planned for the Europa League.
And it is understood it could be similar to the old Cup Winners’ Cup – a competition for domestic cup champions – which was scrapped in 1999.
European Club Association (ECA) president Andrea Agnelli said: “The green light has been given to introduce a third competition, as of the 2021-22 season.”
Juventus chairman Agnelli, speaking at the ECA’s biannual general meeting in Split, Croatia, admitted UEFA have yet to approve the plan but insisted: “The current model needs modernising.”
UEFA’s official position is that it is “constantly reviewing” competitions and has been consulting widely on various ideas for potential changes.
The governing body is keen to raise the Europa League’s profile while also giving more clubs a shot at European competition.
Under the latest proposal, the Europa League group stage would be reduced from 48 teams to 32, in line with the Champions League – paving the way for the new competition.
Agnelli, who is also on UEFA’s executive committee, did not give any details on how any new tournament would be organised.
But it is something the ECA will push for, with both Agnelli and Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis poised to vote for it at the next UEFA executive committee meeting.
Release
Europe’s top clubs also want national sides to play more than two games during international windows to cut the number of times they must release players.
Agnelli added: “Is it possible to reduce the number of windows by increasing the number of games played in there?”
The current international calendar has been agreed through to 2024 but Agnelli wants “a new model” produced after that.
The Italian also suggested that domestic calendars should be “streamlined” so clubs play a similar number of games.
England’s top teams can play up to 53 games this season while German clubs cannot play more than 43.
But with little prospect of the Premier League voting to cut its numbers, any further squeeze would have to come at the expense of the FA Cup or EFL Cup.