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How to fix the UEFA Champions League

Roar Rookie
14th March, 2015
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Lukaku during his time with Everton. (Photo: AAP images).
Roar Rookie
14th March, 2015
30
1271 Reads

I am OK with the idea of the UEFA Champions League. However, the way England’s allocations are determined is the worst idea I’ve ever heard of.

First, It was annoying that even if you finished in the top four of the Premier League you weren’t guaranteed a spot in the competition.

Thanks to the rule that the previous year’s champions qualify automatically, regardless of their placing in the league, it’s possible that the fourth-placed side misses out.

That rule was instituted following the 2004-05 season after Liverpool finished fifth and qualified for winning the competition. However, Everton also qualified due to them being fourth.

Last year UEFA changed that rule but added something unbelievably stupid. Now if the previous year’s winner doesn’t come in the top four then fourth will still qualify.

Problem solved, right? No, because they also announced that the Europa League champions will qualify.

The problem with this is that a team could be relegated and yet still make the Champions League at the expense of the fourth placed team.

How? Well, the FA Cup winner qualifies for the Europa League. If the cup winner won the Europa League but didn’t do well in the Premier League then this scenario is possible.

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You may ask, why aren’t you saying there was an issue before this new system? You know why. Because at least the team who won the Champions League was successful in the previous year.

My issue now is that a team could finish 16th and yet have a miracle run in the FA Cup, dominate the Europa League and then get relegated in the same season.

So, how should England’s Champions League spots be determined?

There should be four at minimum and five at maximum. The first four spots go to the top four of the Premier League and the fifth would only be used if the previous year’s Champions League winners did not finish in the top four.

I hope that UEFA can use the system I suggested. Because the one they’ve come up with is just terrible.

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