Red Devil
14-11-2007, 11:14 AM
Three Premier League teams are poised to get automatic entry into the UEFA Champions League after Michel Platini dropped plans for domestic cup winners to qualify.
The UEFA president is understood to have traded the scheme in return for a deal where, from 2009, six spots in the group stage are reserved for league champions from the bottom 40 countries in Europe.
It was revealed last week that Platini was facing defeat on the domestic cup plan after he failed to get support from the five big football associations.
UEFA's strategy council, made up of representatives from UEFA, the leagues, the clubs and the players, agreed to the compromise which will now go to UEFA's executive committee on 1st December for a final decision. The effect of the change means the fourth-placed side in England will play two qualification rounds instead of one.
The champions of Europe's leading 12 countries, currently including Scotland, will also be guaranteed a place in the group phase.
The six group places reserved for the champions of the 40 lowest leagues among UEFA's 53 member associations will be decided by three qualifying rounds.
Sky Sports News
Presume this means an extra game for Liverpool ;)
The UEFA president is understood to have traded the scheme in return for a deal where, from 2009, six spots in the group stage are reserved for league champions from the bottom 40 countries in Europe.
It was revealed last week that Platini was facing defeat on the domestic cup plan after he failed to get support from the five big football associations.
UEFA's strategy council, made up of representatives from UEFA, the leagues, the clubs and the players, agreed to the compromise which will now go to UEFA's executive committee on 1st December for a final decision. The effect of the change means the fourth-placed side in England will play two qualification rounds instead of one.
The champions of Europe's leading 12 countries, currently including Scotland, will also be guaranteed a place in the group phase.
The six group places reserved for the champions of the 40 lowest leagues among UEFA's 53 member associations will be decided by three qualifying rounds.
Sky Sports News
Presume this means an extra game for Liverpool ;)