For a long time, there was silence around the hotly debated Champions League wildcards, which are to be introduced in the new format from 2024. Now clubs from the middle class and the European Leagues are putting the issue back on the agenda and warning of severe consequences.
The additional starting places in the premier league created by the planned expansion from 32 to 36 clubs “should only and exclusively be allocated via direct qualification of the national leagues”, the leagues’ association demands. The coefficient system, which would give two clubs that are not qualified access to the Champions League by assessing historical successes, would be “an unjustified second chance for some big clubs to participate in the Champions League. Sporting achievements in the domestic leagues must remain the only access. This is a fundamental principle of the European sporting model that must not be called into question. “
Hellmann’s warning and the Mittelstands-Allianz
Already during the week Axel Hellmann had warned against a “European football monster”, against a Super League through the back door. “We must not allow the economic differences between the Champions League and the Europa League to become even greater,” the Frankfurt Eintracht board spokesman had said. The Hessians, who on Thursday laid the foundation stone for a place in the Europa League final, are apparently part of an alliance of medium-sized companies that is seeking to improve networking and lobbying vis-à-vis the industry giants.
The fact that both Hellmann and the leagues are now putting the topic on the agenda is certainly no coincidence. Immediately before the UEFA Congress in Vienna on 11 May, both the Executive Committee of the confederation and the Club Competitions Committee (CCC), which is responsible for the organisation of the competitions, will deal with the matter further. It is interesting to note that the CCC is chaired by the European Club Association (ECA), which made it clear weeks ago that it wanted to stick to the wildcard plans. Various ECA board members sit on the committee. If nothing is done in Vienna, the Executive Committee could make a decision around the Champions League final in Paris on 28 May.
Super League issue at ECJ
The wild card proposal and the change of the Champions League into a league system had been waved through in April 2021 as a socially acceptable counter-proposal, so to speak, when a dozen clubs dared to make the infamous Super League push, which collapsed under fierce protest from fans. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin earned strong applause at the time for powerfully opposing the breakaway attempt, backed by Paris St Germain’s Qatari chief executive and ECA boss Nasser Al-Khelaifi, FC Bayern and also Borussia Dortmund. However, Real Madrid, Juventus Turin and FC Barcelona are still formally holding on to the Super League. In Madrid, an oral hearing is scheduled soon, and the Super League issue has also been referred to the ECJ.
However, UEFA’s proposed reform of the premier league would also have severe consequences, including a massive increase in the number of matches from 125 to 225, in addition to a competition that is partially closed by wildcards. The European leagues are also critical of this and are therefore calling for no more than eight matches per club in the new premier league preliminary round. Ten games per club are currently planned.
