Liverpool could be impacted by a major change to the Champions League as UEFA have been told to scrap their new plans for the competition by Europe’s domestic leagues.
The European Cup is due to expand from 32 to 36 teams from the 2024/25 season, with the regular group stages set to be removed in favour of a league format. If Liverpool were to qualify, the club would face ten different opponents prior to qualifying for the knockout stages, with games evenly spread between home and away.
However, the European Leagues organisation has objected to the format changes, which will also set aside two places for teams that miss out on the Champions League based on their league position, but have a strong five-year historical record in Europe. Those teams would have to either finish in the Europa League spots or win a domestic cup, but Europe’s domestic leagues argue that this would go against the spirit of the competition.
READ MORE: Pep Guardiola exposes major question over Mohamed Salah at Liverpool
READ MORE: Liverpool can replace Divock Origi with £30m teenager after chairman blessing
The only current exemption applied to Liverpool in 2005 when the Reds were given a spot as current Champions League holders, having missed out on qualification through the Premier League.
Speaking on Friday, European Leagues chairman Claus Thomsen said : “On the whole European Super League issue we saw football in Europe coming together and agreeing on certain things including that it is sporting merit that takes us from one level to the next, and we should not have closed tournaments and that we should not move in that direction. You could argue it is only two places and now no leapfrogging but you are leaving the basic principle, and in the end I trust UEFA will move in that direction as well.”
The Danish League chief executive added: “An increase of more than 50% of games will hurt the vast majority of clubs and benefit very few. We need to have a lower number of rounds.” The changes to the Champions League format were announced between the launch and subsequent collapse of the European Super League in April 2021.
Thomsen, who is also part of the UEFA Club Competitions Committee, was speaking after the European Leagues organisation had met in Istanbul to formalise their opposition towards the Champions League changes. The Club Competitions Committee is able to make formal proposals to UEFA’s executive board and both are set to meet on May 10.
It has been further reported that UEFA are looking to create a “week of football” event around the Champions League. These plans would see the semi-finals changed to just a single game, with both ties and the final played over one weekend in the same city. It has been suggested that UEFA have not yet signed off on those new plans, although the European Clubs Association (ECA) is alleged to support the idea. However, any changes would also need approval from the European Leagues organisation.
