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Updated April 19th, 2021 at 18:06 IST

UEFA sanction new-look Champions League, Super League teams QUIT ECA

On Monday, UEFA announced its plan to revamp the Champions League format from 2024 onwards despite the potential breakaway of the European Super League.

Reported by: Arnold Dsouza
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On Monday, UEFA's Executive Committee responded to the threat of a breakaway European Super League (ESL) by unanimously voting to sanction the new-look 36-team Champions League, according to reports. In a vote in Montreux, Switzerland, the Executive Committee passed a resolution to expand the Champions League from its present format to the re-shaped tournament at the start of the 2024-25 season. This is despite a number of the Super League teams leaving the European Club Association (ECA).

Super League explained: Why aren't PSG, Bayern joining Super League?

On Sunday, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid laid out plans to form a breakaway competition referred to as the Super League. The new European Super League is planned to have guaranteed spots for 15 of the 20 clubs. These 15 clubs would be completely exempt from relegation. 

UEFA and English, Spanish and Italian football authorities then issued a statement for the European Super League teams. The statement read, "Teams participating in the Super League will be banned from playing in any other competition at domestic, European or world level, and their players could be denied the opportunity to represent their national teams". The attempt was to condemn plans of the Super League.

However, the 12 European clubs planning to start a Super League have told the leaders of FIFA and UEFA that they have begun legal action aimed at fending off threats to block the competition. Most have already quit the ECA. In the midst of the chaos, Bundesliga giants Dortmund and Bayern, along with Ligue 1 heavyweights PSG, have opted against joining the Super League.

Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke, in a statement, said, "Both of the German clubs which are represented on the ECA board, FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, put forward 100% identical views in all conversations.” Meanwhile, the Super League dispute complicates Qatar’s efforts to win support across Europe for its hosting of the 2022 World Cup. PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is well connected at UEFA, with a seat on its executive committee. The Al-Khelaifi cast his vote for the new-look UCL. 

 

Champions League new format from 2024 onwards

The change in the Champions League format will see each club play 10 group games, rather than six, before advancing to a 16-team knock-out system in the second half of the season. The top eight sides will go through to the last 16, with the bottom 12 eliminated. Meanwhile, the sides finishing between ninth and 24th position will play two-legged play-offs, with those between ninth and 16th drawn against a side finishing from 17th to 24th.

The winners of those ties will complete the last-16 line-up. The losers, on the other hand, will drop into the Europa League. However, it is still unclear whether the new-look UCL tournament will involve the sides attempting to form their own separate competition.

 

Image Credits - AP 

 

 

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Published April 19th, 2021 at 18:06 IST

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