Champions League: New Euro twist could see ‘historical merit’ introduced into qualifying
BIG changes to the Champions League appear to be on the horizon.
UEFA are under pressure to decide in December whether or not to change the current format.
The fact is Europe's top clubs are forever demanding a bigger share of the competition's multi-million pound annual income.
And there is ever-increasing speculation that a major revamp is on the way - including wild cards for historical merit, weekend games, and co-ownership of the competition.
Historical merit, for instance, would favour those teams who traditionally compete at Champions League level and would favour the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool - all absent this season.
Euro soccer chiefs had been making slow progress shaping the competition for the three seasons from 2018 with talk of a breakaway Super League being fueled in January by some wealthy members of the European Club Association (ECA).
Now respected European soccer analyst Gabriele Marcotti has tweeted that the following moves could be afoot:
UEFA meet in mid-September to finally replace banned president Michel Platini and the new chief will head up meeting of the policy-making executive committee on September 15, with Champions League decisions foreseen at a December session.
According to reports in Italy the competition could even take up an NBA-type formula which will seriously affect the Premier League.
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England presently has three representatives which qualify automatically — and a fourth-placed team which must go through a play-off.
There is a suggestion that the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and Bundesliga would all be guaranteed four qualifiers but with a twist.
The top three teams would qualify automatically, with the fourth team chosen based on their ‘historical achievements’ - as hinted at by Marcotti.
It would mean the likes of Manchester United, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich,AC Milan and Juventus would always be present.
The move is a likely compromise for a much-talked-about European breakaway Super League.
Talk is of eight groups of 32 teams — as happens at present — but it is in qualifying that the biggest changes would occur.
The next leagues in line — French, Portuguese and Russian — would have two secure places.
While four or five would go to the next countries, Ukraine, Belgium, Holland, Turkey and Switzerland.
There would then be five or six places for the 50 or so clubs that would compete in the play-offs.
It remains to be seen what changes will be made - and if weekend games and co-ownership come into the bargain.