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European football's power vacuum is being seen as an opportunity by clubs to have a big say in overhauling its richest competition.

The Champions League could look very different by 2018 if some of the continent's biggest teams convince UEFA to offer them guaranteed spots in a more American-style competition.

The European Club Association thrashed out various visions for the Champions League of the future at meetings in Nyon earlier this week, before UEFA leaders met in the Swiss city without a president as the governing body stalls on replacing the banned Michel Platini.

What UEFA would certainly try to block is an attempted breakaway by elite clubs, forming their own continent-wide competition — the often-threatened Super League. UEFA has already attempted to placate the ECA by giving two seats on its executive committee to club representatives.

And UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino said on Friday: "The Super League already exists. It's called the Champions League."

But the theoretical Super League discussed by the ECA executive board is a far more radical idea than UEFA's current top club competition.

The Champions League currently provides entry for the defending champions, the winner of the second-tier Europa League and on merit through domestic league positions.

The ECA is weighing up the merits of advocating turning the Champions League into a more closed competition, like the NBA or NFL, a person with knowledge of the meetings told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the meetings were private.

The talks are taking place now to ensure there is a united position to propose to UEFA later this year before it starts to sell Champions League television rights for the three seasons from 2018-19.

Disparities across European football are sharpening the need for change for some clubs.

The wealth of Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Real Madrid ensures they dominate their domestic leagues and a monumental collapse would have to occur to fail to qualify for the Champions League — such as the type of downfall experienced this season by Chelsea. The English champion is the victim of an increasingly competitive Premier League, whose next set of three-year television contracts are on course to generate around $13 billion.

Chelsea has gone from winning the league by eight points in May to currently languishing 14 points from the top four which guarantees Champions League places, having seen domestic rivals gain the financial power to resist attempts to sell their top talent.

Chelsea, the world's eighth wealthiest club by revenue, is likely to be absent from UEFA competitions next season.

Chelsea has only won the Champions League once, in 2012. But AC Milan, a seven-time European champion and 14th in the latest revenue ranking of global teams by accountancy firm Deloitte, is now in its second season out of Europe.

The person with knowledge of the ECA talks said the current qualification system sees too many clubs with vast fan bases, prestige and large stadiums not qualifying through their leagues. Teams like Barcelona and Bayern can target their resources on Europe at key times in the season, knowing there is little threat posed domestically, unlike more balanced leagues in England and Italy.

One option discussed is a Champions League that reserves places for a band of powerhouse clubs who are attractive to broadcasters, alongside an open qualification system for a changing roster of teams.

The ECA sees that as being an attractive option to UEFA when it goes to market with television rights for 2018-2021 and tries to maximize the value of deals. Clubs are currently sharing 1.257 billion euros ($1.4 billion) each season from Champions League television revenue.

"We are discussing everything with the clubs when it comes to club competitions," said Infantino, UEFA's top administrator who is seeking the FIFA presidency. "We are currently having discussions as we do every three years how we can adapt and improve the structures of our competitions."

International players' union, FIFPro, wants the stars of the competitions to influence any revamp.

"If clubs and governing bodies think they can act unilaterally, they have another thing coming," FIFPro spokesman Andrew Orsatti said. "Only through collective bargaining where clubs and players thrash out all the issues, including proposals for new competitions, will football be fair."

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/a4876e33 ... gue-revamp

G14 have been wanting this for quite some time. AC milan will no doubt be a leader in this with the Rags and Liverpool

Protect their revenue at all costs.

Fuck that shit.

the big clubs already have such a monumental advantage over the smaller clubs it is ridiculous and now (again) they're only trying to make it worse.
good these things make my blood boil.

Always on the cards from the old G14. Fucking piss take of a league if you ask me. Rags finish in 7th but get a Champions league place? That's 'Champions League' you say?

G14 flexing their muscles and will put a breakaway league proposition to get their way

Stick the shit competition up your Arse you greedy fucking twats. All in an attempt to once again making it a closed shop.

Beware though, certain owners could take a real exception to wehat is being planned. Fuck, they could even but the lot and close it down; or at least close those down who try to cheat the system.

That is utterly ridiculous, but then again it is UEFA in charge so there you go.

If they did this I could see us and a few others doing a break away 'Champions' league.

Sounds like a closed European League to me, as mentioned by John and a few others. They'll want to play half a season in the current set up and then half in their own Super League.

Honestly, as a lifelong supporter, I'd rather stick with the league. However, I'd like to see certain owners set up one that really shows off what the rest of the European leagues have to offer. Of course, with a ridiculous amount of money that attracts 'ALL' the best players.

And apparently man city is "everything that's wrong with football"....

Really?

Appalling decision, yet am surprised it hasn't taken place before. The piggies know where the trough is and if they can't get there through conventional means, then they just move the trough.

I think they should all play each other inthe final

Are we big yet?

john@staustell wrote:Are we big yet?

No, just upstarts apparently.

Fuck it. The thing is a business. Let them in but if they don't qualify through the league they pay £10million entry fee and that gets them into an unseeded pre qualification round and of they get through they are in pot 4. The money raised goes to grass roots football not into the ever deepening pot of greed that is the filthy champions league.

Bianchi on Ice wrote:I think they should all play each other inthe final

That's a bit harsh. They shouldn't have to play at all. They should all get a cup and they can ALL call themselves champions of Europe. And UEFA should give them all loads of money.

blues-clues wrote:Fuck it. The thing is a business. Let them in but if they don't qualify through the league they pay £10million entry fee and that gets them into an unseeded pre qualification round and of they get through they are in pot 4. The money raised goes to grass roots football not into the ever deepening pot of greed that is the filthy champions league.

i would say fuck you go ahead and by the way you are no longer in the premier league.would the rags and the rest go ahead with it if they could not play in there domestic league,not a chance

blues-clues wrote:Fuck it. The thing is a business. Let them in but if they don't qualify through the league they pay £10million entry fee and that gets them into an unseeded pre qualification round and of they get through they are in pot 4. The money raised goes to grass roots football not into the ever deepening pot of greed that is the filthy champions league.

I don't mind the idea of three places being auctioned like this, with money being split between both grassroots football and leagues which don't have representatives in UEFA competitions for that season, to help strengthen them (with the proviso of some kind of 'fit and proper' test for national FAs). Also, the teams that buy places should have to forego all sponsorship/prize money from qualification and group stages.

It would actually be quite interesting to see the squabbling between the Rags and a few Italian clubs, plus Russian, Azerbaijani and Turkish clubs in the auction - I'd actually prefer to see that televised than half of the group games, I think...

BlueinBosnia wrote:

blues-clues wrote:Fuck it. The thing is a business. Let them in but if they don't qualify through the league they pay £10million entry fee and that gets them into an unseeded pre qualification round and of they get through they are in pot 4. The money raised goes to grass roots football not into the ever deepening pot of greed that is the filthy champions league.

I don't mind the idea of three places being auctioned like this, with money being split between both grassroots football and leagues which don't have representatives in UEFA competitions for that season, to help strengthen them (with the proviso of some kind of 'fit and proper' test for national FAs). Also, the teams that buy places should have to forego all sponsorship/prize money from qualification and group stages.

It would actually be quite interesting to see the squabbling between the Rags and a few Italian clubs, plus Russian, Azerbaijani and Turkish clubs in the auction - I'd actually prefer to see that televised than half of the group games, I think...

Bare-knuckle fight between the managers to get in, TV rights would be worth a fortune.

Hutch's Shoulder wrote:Bare-knuckle fight between the managers to get in, TV rights would be worth a fortune.

In that case Athletico Madrid would be guaranteed a place as long as Diego Simeone is around. Bobby Manc would probably have a good showing as well. Mourinho would be sure to get in a few eye-gouges and crotch shots. We'd be fucked with old man Pellers or fancy Pep

bigblue wrote:

Hutch's Shoulder wrote:Bare-knuckle fight between the managers to get in, TV rights would be worth a fortune.

In that case Athletico Madrid would be guaranteed a place as long as Diego Simeone is around. Bobby Manc would probably have a good showing as well. Mourinho would be sure to get in a few eye-gouges and crotch shots. We'd be fucked with old man Pellers or fancy Pep

Then we need akinfenwa as player manager asap.

Wonderwall wrote:

bigblue wrote:

Hutch's Shoulder wrote:Bare-knuckle fight between the managers to get in, TV rights would be worth a fortune.

In that case Athletico Madrid would be guaranteed a place as long as Diego Simeone is around. Bobby Manc would probably have a good showing as well. Mourinho would be sure to get in a few eye-gouges and crotch shots. We'd be fucked with old man Pellers or fancy Pep

Then we need akinfenwa as player manager asap.

He's a big fucker, not sure if he'd last a bout though.

I remember seeing a huge bloke play in the cup, who had to cut the sleeves off his shirt to fit in it. Can't remember who the fuck it was for though.