Premier League rejects Euro revamp

all 20 Premier league clubs yesterday rejected proposed changes to the Champions league that threaten to wipe out the race for the top four.

The clubs’ chairmen met in london to discuss UeFa and the european Club association (eCa) proposals to change the format from eight groups of four teams to four groups of eight. That would mean each club playing 14 group games rather than six. The eCa also want to base qualification on historical success, rather than league position.

The Premier league clubs issued a joint statement which read: ‘all clubs unanimously agreed it is inappropriate for european football bodies to create plans that would alter the structures, calendar and competitiveness of the domestic game and will work together to protect the Premier league.

‘The structures of domestic football are determined by leagues and their respective national associations. We will now work with the Fa and other leagues to ensure that european football bodies understand the importance of this, and their obligation to maintain the health and sustainability of domestic league football.’

europe’s top leagues and clubs meet in Madrid next month to discuss the reforms.

Referees chief Mike Riley was at the gathering to discuss the protocols for dealing with discrimination. The referee first reports incidents via the fourth official. If the problem persists, he is able to take the players off the pitch.