Crystal Palace and Aston Villa lead revolt against 'devastating' Champions League reform

[ASFN Admin]

The Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has led the rebellion of smaller Premier League clubs against the elite’s proposals for an expanded Champions League, warning that it could have a potentially “devastating” effect on the English game. As opposition grew across Europe, the Aston Villa chief executive Christian Purslow said that proposals for the changes to the competition post 2024 that would see clubs boosted into the Champions League on the basis of historic performance would be “unfair”. Both were speaking at the European Leagues (EL) conference which saw widespread opposition to the plans created by the likes of Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United to expand the Champions League to 36 teams and give the extra four places based on clubs’ Uefa co-efficient. Clubs including Feyenoord and Bayer Leverkusen raised concerns about the changes agreed between the European Club Association (ECA), dominated by the biggest clubs, and Uefa, who run the competitions. There was also widespread opposition from domestic leagues with Football League (EFL) chairman Rick Parry warning that the proposals to expand the Champions League by 100 games could squeeze the League Cup out of existence. Parry said that it could see EFL revenues fall by a third that would endanger the future of some of the 72 EFL clubs. Uefa have agreed in principle to the post-2024 “Swiss model” proposed by the ECA which will see the number of Champions League group games expanded to ten, seeing an overall leap in matches from 125 to 225. The EL wants the expansion restricted to just eight games in the group stages and many clubs said they would not agree to any change until they see how the profits will be shared. The EL presented evidence of the distorting effect on domestic leagues created by the earnings of clubs who routinely qualify for Europe. Since 2009, the payments to clubs in the Champions league and Europa League have risen by 166 per cent, with increased broadcast revenue. The solidarity payments to clubs who do not participate has increased by just 106 per cent.

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