Supporters’ groups oppose ‘irresponsible’ CL proposals
UEFA has been accused by a Premier League fans’ group of being out of touch with supporters over its Champions League reform proposals and of seeking to create a Super League by the back door.
European football’s governing body and its president Aleksander Ceferin praised supporters for their role in thwarting attempts to form a European Super League almost a year ago.
However, those same fans feel new proposals from UEFA to increase the number of Champions League group stage matches from six to 10 from 2024 and to reserve two qualification berths based on historic European performance rather than domestic achievementwillcreatea“cartel” of rich clubs and damage domestic competitions.
The Football Supporters’ Association’s Premier League Network says these proposals should be rejected by UEFA, whose ruling executive committee is expected to make a final decision on the Champions League revamp in Vienna on May 10.
“We are united in opposition to proposals to reform the Champions League that are a back door attempt at a return to the discredited idea of a European Super League,” the Network’s statement said.
“Last year, it was our supporter groups that united to force the collapse of the European Super League. At the
time, UEFA told us that fans weretheheartofthegameand promisedfans’viewswouldbe centre stage in deciding what came next.
“So it is with great dismay that we now face the prospect of changes to the Champions League that will mean many more group games being played and entry for some clubs being based on a historical five-year ‘UEFA Club Coefficient’.Theseproposalswill only widen the gap between rich clubs and the rest, at the same time wrecking domestic
league calendars, with the expectationthatfanssacrifice yet more time and money attending meaningless group games.”
UEFA’s executive committee initially approved reforms toitsmen’sclubcompetitions, including the Champions League, on April 19 last year, but to very little fanfare or publicityasithappenedinthe hours after the Super League had been launched.
The increase from six matches to 10, plus a further play-off round to determine
eight of the last 16, along with the inclusion of two-co-efficient places were approved at that time. The group stage would increase from 32 to 36 teams, with all teams playing in one big league and facing other teams under a seeded ‘Swiss system’.
UEFA has looked at the plans again in the wake of the Super League collapse, however the proposals clearly still provide far too many concessions to the big clubs in the view of Premier League fans.
Under its latest proposal, teams could only qualify via theco-efficientiftheyfinished immediatelyoutsidetheregular Champions League spots, to avoid them leapfrogging rivals who finish in a higher position.However,itisunderstoodteamscouldalsowinthe FA Cup and qualify via co-efficient, whereas FA Cup winners with a lesser European pedigree would not.
“It is irresponsible and out of touch to even consider doublingthenumberofhome gamesthatfanswillhavetoattend,” the Network added.