- Title: European leagues vow to fight Champions League changes
- Date: 5th October 2016
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (OCTOBER 5, 2016) (REUTERS) THE CHAIRMAN OF EUROPEAN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUES (EPFL), LARS-CHRISTER OLSSON, STANDING BEFORE NEWS CONFERENCE CAMERAMAN NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHAIRMAN OF EUROPEAN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUES, LARS-CHRISTER OLSSON, SAYING: "They have been setting all the conditions for a private closed league in the future and that is the real dangerous thing about the proposals now. The risk for the future is much more dangerous than the direct changes in the format. It's a bit annoying that not so many others are seeing this direction." REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHAIRMAN OF EUROPEAN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUES, LARS-CHRISTER OLSSON, SAYING: "The big clubs have been using the power vacuum at UEFA to get these proposals through." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHAIRMAN OF EUROPEAN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUES, LARS-CHRISTER OLSSON, SAYING: "The fact is that UEFA will have problems because UEFA members are the associations and the majority of the associations have already been opposed to this lack of proper process. So putting pressure on UEFA is actually the member associations and they have already done so." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHAIRMAN OF EUROPEAN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUES, LARS-CHRISTER OLSSON, SAYING: "This is a personal view, I don't think there is a market for a European closed league where these teams are not playing in their domestic context. So if we take all the English teams for example, I have difficulties in seeing an English club team leaving the Premier League to play in a closed shop in Europe." NEWS CONFERENCE ENDING
- Embargoed: 20th October 2016 21:13
- Keywords: Champions League changes Lars-Christer Olsson UEFA
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA00152QAQTB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The organisation representing Europe's domestic soccer leagues is refusing to accept the proposed changes to the Champions League that guarantee four places for the strongest nations.
UEFA announced in August a series of changes to its premier club competition from 2018, including guaranteeing a place for the top four clubs in the four top-ranked associations to leave only 16 spots for the rest of the continent.
European soccer's ruling body also plans to give precedence to former winners of the competition regardless of their current form.
However, Lars-Christer Olsson, chairman of European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL), said on Wednesday (October 5) that there was almost unanimous opposition to the changes across Europe, including from England and Spain.
That is due to a fear that they are the first steps towards a closed Champions League for the chosen few of Europe's elite clubs.
"They have been setting all the conditions for a private closed league in the future and that is the real dangerous thing about the proposals now. The risk for the future is much more dangerous than the direct changes in the format. It's a bit annoying that not so many others are seeing this direction," Olsson told delegates at the Leaders in Sport Business Summit at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge ground.
"The big clubs have been using the power vacuum at UEFA to get these proposals through," he added.
Olsson dismissed suggestions that his organisation lacked the power to influence UEFA or compete with that of the biggest clubs and he is expecting progress after a meeting on Oct. 21.
"The fact is that UEFA will have problems because UEFA members are the associations and the majority of the associations have already been opposed to this lack of proper process. So putting pressure on UEFA is actually the member associations and they have already done so," he said.
Olsson said his organisation was considering various options should UEFA not listen to its protest, adding that domestic leagues could in future schedule matches on Champions League nights. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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