Thunderball
08-30-2007, 10:08 AM
MONACO (AFP) - UEFA president Michel Platini on Thursday unveiled what are seen as controversial plans to open up the Champions League, European football's showcase club tournament, to wider competition from 2009.
Under Platini's proposals, England, Italy and Spain would all have three teams that qualify automatically for the Champions League group stages via their domestic league.
Their domestic cup winners would enter a parallel qualifying competition along with 13 other cup winners across Europe for four places in the lucrative group stage of the Champions League.
The proposal will go before UEFA's executive committe in November for ratification.
Platini insisted: "We are not changing the format of the Champions League, there is no question of that."
Under Platini's plans, six more countries will be represented in the Champions League, raising to 16 from nine the number of champions taking part.
He stressed that it should be the clubs "who win rather than those who are richer or have better media rights who should play".
Platini's proposals, designed to open up the competition to smaller clubs, come in reaction to his belief that the group stages of the Champions League are dominated by an elite few from major footballing nations.
UEFA are also planning to revamp the UEFA Cup so that it resembles more closely that of the Champions League. Under the proposals, the Intertoto Cup would be scrapped.
The former France legend and coach also outlined plans for moving the Champions League to the weekend to ensure a more family-oriented spectacle.
"Among some other ideas I'd like to put in place is that for the big finals 75 percent of the spectators are supporters, that there are places reserved for fans," he said.
"When I went to the Champions League final in Athens last season, I was really disappointed that there wasn't a child in the stadium. That's not due to Greece but because it was on a Wednesday, making it difficult for families to attend."
Currently England, Italy and Spain can enter four teams each in the Champions League - two automatically for the lucrative group stages, the other two through the third qualifying round of the competition.
What do you guys think of this? Personally, I think the 4 teams each from Italy, England and Spain more often than not make the tournament exciting, since they are typically the best teams in the tournament. Taking a spot away from the big 3 might end up taking away exciting teams like Liverpool, Valencia and Roma.
Under Platini's proposals, England, Italy and Spain would all have three teams that qualify automatically for the Champions League group stages via their domestic league.
Their domestic cup winners would enter a parallel qualifying competition along with 13 other cup winners across Europe for four places in the lucrative group stage of the Champions League.
The proposal will go before UEFA's executive committe in November for ratification.
Platini insisted: "We are not changing the format of the Champions League, there is no question of that."
Under Platini's plans, six more countries will be represented in the Champions League, raising to 16 from nine the number of champions taking part.
He stressed that it should be the clubs "who win rather than those who are richer or have better media rights who should play".
Platini's proposals, designed to open up the competition to smaller clubs, come in reaction to his belief that the group stages of the Champions League are dominated by an elite few from major footballing nations.
UEFA are also planning to revamp the UEFA Cup so that it resembles more closely that of the Champions League. Under the proposals, the Intertoto Cup would be scrapped.
The former France legend and coach also outlined plans for moving the Champions League to the weekend to ensure a more family-oriented spectacle.
"Among some other ideas I'd like to put in place is that for the big finals 75 percent of the spectators are supporters, that there are places reserved for fans," he said.
"When I went to the Champions League final in Athens last season, I was really disappointed that there wasn't a child in the stadium. That's not due to Greece but because it was on a Wednesday, making it difficult for families to attend."
Currently England, Italy and Spain can enter four teams each in the Champions League - two automatically for the lucrative group stages, the other two through the third qualifying round of the competition.
What do you guys think of this? Personally, I think the 4 teams each from Italy, England and Spain more often than not make the tournament exciting, since they are typically the best teams in the tournament. Taking a spot away from the big 3 might end up taking away exciting teams like Liverpool, Valencia and Roma.