A group representing domestic football leagues is hopeful of killing plans to make Champions League places dependent on historic performance, believing they will find “common ground” with Uefa to stop the controversial proposal.
The European Leagues, which represents domestic competitions from across the continent including the Premier League, said that they believed their support for qualification on “sporting merit” and a lower number of fixtures in a still expanded Champions League would result in a “wise and good” decision by Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin.
A plan to award two places in an expanded Champions League to clubs that would otherwise have qualified for the Europa League but have strong recent records in Europe, was proposed in Uefa’s Club Competition Committee (UCCC) and endorsed by the influential European Club Association last month.
Speaking on Friday, however, the president of the European Leagues, Claus Thomsen, reiterated a commitment to the principle of qualifying based on domestic performance. “We believe the principle of sporting merit is the heart of the football model,” he said. “It’s still our firm belief and position that such a thing can’t be introduced into the European club competitions.
“We have had good dialogue with Uefa on this and think we will find common ground with this. Raising these issues are not contrary to Uefa. It is fair to say our expectation is that Uefa also has the position of sporting merit being at the core of European and domestic competitions.”
Jacco Swart, the managing director of the European Leagues, said that Ceferin had committed himself to maintaining football’s tie to sporting merit in the wake of the European Super League. “We have been carefully listening to the president over the last year,” he said, “and we do count on his responsibility and the fact that he will take a wise and good decision in the line with our position.”
The European Leagues are also pushing back on on further detail of Uefa’s proposed reforms to the Champions League in 2024. With a league format set to replace the group stage, the number of guaranteed fixtures played by each qualifier would rise from six to 10 per season, creating a further 100 matches in the competition. The Leagues want a compromise figure of eight “league stage” matches, believing they have the support not only of domestic competitions but broadcasters too.
“An increase of more than 50% of games will hurt the vast majority of clubs and benefit very few,” said Thomsen. “We need to have a lower number of rounds. [Uefa] also have the position that we need to balance matchday calendars for all competitions to have a positive development.”
Both the calendar and qualification are likely to be discussed at a meeting of the UCCC on 10 May, though there is currently no deadline for a final decision to be taken.
