The Champions League, as its supporters know it, is about to undergo a controversial transformation despite the incredible noise among fans and national leagues. The initial proposal for the renewed format, which starts in the 2024/25 season, would give teams like Arsenal – clubs that failed to qualify for European competitions after the end of their league.
This would be a potential backdoor in the Champions League thanks to UEFA’s club odds rankings, which rank countries based on performances in UEFA competitions over the previous five seasons. Many doubt their plans to break up the European Super League just a year earlier.
However, the leading teams of Europe and UEFA have united and are ready to agree on a lineup, according to The Athletic. The report says UEFA senior officials met in a board meeting of the European Club Association (ECA) in Madrid on Monday to hear proposals for implementing a diluted version of the original plan.
READ MORE: Thomas Tuchel could sign Chelsea’s Virgil van Dyke if Todd Boelli beats Barcelona to a £ 30million deal
Athletic say the general consensus is that only one season will be considered now, although, of course, historical records are still in mind. The report adds that it also plans to use the UEFA coefficient for the country, as opposed to the club’s ranking – which is currently in place to allocate seats in its competitions to its members.
By using the country’s coefficient – and reducing the historic period of five years to one – the new plan is seen to be more in line with the awards won for season by season. Athletic concludes by saying that the ECA has given the green light to countries with a maximum of five places in the Champions League, so it remains to be seen whether Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs can qualify for the same season.
The final plan will be discussed at two additional meetings on Tuesday, before UEFA members gather in Vienna on Wednesday for their annual congress.
It is reported that UEFA President Alexander Cheferin would like to announce that the deal for the form of the Champions League after 2024 was finalized on Wednesday. However, The Athletic concludes that it can wait until the end of May.
Read more related articles Read more related articles
Add Comment