Champions League reforms like ‘European Super League via back door’, warns Premier League Network | Football News

Champions League reform proposals put forward by UEFA amount to a Super League via the back door, according to a Premier League fans’ group.

Europe’s premier club competition is being revamped ahead of the 2024-25 season, with UEFA expected to finalise the format at its next executive committee meeting in Vienna on May 10.

However, supporters have criticised a proposal to allow two teams to qualify for the expanded Champions League group stage based on historical European performance rather than domestic league placing.

The Football Supporters’ Association’s Premier League Network says the proposals protect the big clubs and have echoes of the European Super League, which was launched almost a year ago and collapsed within 72 hours amid supporter protests.

“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,” a Network statement read.

“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 were the heart of the game and promised fans’ views would be centre stage in deciding what came next.”

The UEFA proposal also includes an increase in group-stage matches from the current six to 10, plus a further two-leg play-off round to determine eight of the sides that reach the last 16 knockout stage.

“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 Co efficient’,” the Network’s statement added.

“These proposals will only widen the gap between rich clubs and the rest, at the same time wrecking domestic league calendars, with the expectation that fans sacrifice yet more time and money attending meaningless group games.

“Fans do not want even more European games, especially drawn-out group stages of 10 games and an extra knockout round.

“It is irresponsible and out of touch to even consider doubling the number of home games that fans will have to attend before the last 16 knockout round begins. This will be compounded by the cost of living crisis that is hitting Europe.”

The Network said they “feared” for the FA Cup and the League Cup under these plans to increase the number of European matches.

The Network called on UEFA to reject any plans to allow qualification for the Champions League on anything other than domestic sporting merit, and to reject any increase in the number of matches.

Throughout the consultation process, the position of the European Leagues group, which includes the Premier League, has been to accept an increase from six to eight matches but that the two ‘extra’ qualification places be awarded to domestic champions from medium-sized and smaller countries, rather than on co-efficient ranking.

UEFA’s executive committee initially approved reforms to the Champions League on April 19 last year, hours after the Super League had been launched. The approved format at that time included an increase in matches from six to 10 and two co-efficient places.

The co-efficient proposal has been tweaked so that a team can only qualify if they finish directly outside the conventional Champions League qualification places. This was to address concerns raised by the leagues over the possibility of big clubs leapfrogging smaller rivals into the premier competition.

However, it is understood the proposals would allow for teams with a strong co-efficient to qualify for the Champions League via winning the FA Cup, while teams with less pedigree winning the competition would miss out.

The Network’s statement added: “Premier League fans do not want 10 group games involving a small cartel of rich clubs further distorting competitive balance.

“We want strong, competitive domestic leagues, an equal opportunity for all to qualify for UEFA competitions based on sporting merit, along with a fairer distribution of the game’s wealth from the revenues those competitions earn.

“Last year we engaged in constructive discussions with UEFA president (Aleksander) Ceferin who made a commitment that fans would be listened to in this process. Our collective voice is unified and our position clear.

“We call on UEFA to demonstrate that it acts in the interests of the wider football community and its supporters, not just the interests of the few rich investors and state-owned clubs that, less than a year ago, tried to destroy the European football family.”