May 30 – Switzerland’s 20 first and second division clubs have unanimously turned their backs on much-publicised plans to overhaul the Champions League as fears over a split between leagues and clubs intensifies.
The European Clubs Association (ECA) holds a potentially pivotal meeting in Malta next week to put more flesh on the bones of UEFA’s proposals.
The Swiss league says its teams oppose the ECA-driven plans which include 24 of the biggest teams retaining their group phase places year after year with only four entries for national champions to qualify.
This, say the Swiss, would have “unacceptable consequences” for their domestic league.
Currently, the Swiss champion and runner-up both enter the Champions League preliminary rounds and the country is a classic example of what could happen down the road. Other leagues such as the Premier League, La Liga and the Bundesliga have also opposed the proposals.
UEFA insists talks are still at a preliminary stage but that’s not the view of the leagues who say they have been made aware of a 32-team competition that would seriously jeopardise the tradition of qualifying via national leagues.
“The dream of participating in UEFA club competitions and the prospect of playing matches against the continent’s major traditional clubs must continue to live on,” said the Swiss league’s chief executive Claudius Schaeffer.
“Should this dream die, an important element of club football and supporting a team will also die.
“FC Basel 1893 against Liverpool, Young Boys playing Juventus, FC Zurich paired against AC Milan or FC Thun versus Arsenal: It’s epic games like these that create the unique excitement for European club football amongst Swiss fans,” he said referring to matches that have taken place in the past.
“We want to keep the opportunity to be part of memorable European nights in the future.”
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