EUROPEAN football will be at war in two weeks’ time – unless Uefa agree to ditch Champions League changes.
Leagues across the continent are up in arms about reforms due to kick in for the 2018/19 season which would guarantee more big clubs places in the competition, hand them a larger share of its massive income and give them a bigger say in future developments.
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And unless Uefa chiefs show willingness to compromise, the European Professional Football Leagues body will ask its members to vote at a October 21 meeting in Zurich whether to tear up their agreement with Uefa.
Terminating the Memorandum of Understanding would give the Premier League and other top-flight competitions the freedom to stage domestic fixtures up against Champions League and Europa League games.
Lars-Christer Olsson, former head of Uefa and now EPFL chairman, told the Leaders conference: “We are of the opinion that the Memorandum of Understanding has already been broken.
“It says there should be a proper consultation process, including the leagues, when there is going to be any major change in European competitions. That has not happened.”
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AP:Associated Press
Staging domestic fixtures on the same night as European games would damage all sides.
Olsson said clubs competing in the Champions League or European League would not have league games scheduled on the same night.
But there could be a genuine threat to Uefa’s precious TV audiences and the sponsorship revenues linked to them.
When big-name Premier League clubs like Manchester City or Tottenham went out of Europe, their games could be staged up against, for example, Champions League quarter or semi-finals.
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