Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has slammed UEFA for their plans to change the Champions League format.
New plans to allow teams to qualify for the Champions League based on historical performances, rather than their league position, were given the go ahead by big European clubs in March.
Set to be implemented in the 2024-2025 season, this would see clubs who would miss out on the competition be given a place, due to their previous European performances.
The controversial UEFA plans:
◉ Plan to offer two #UCL wildcards from 2024
◉ Historical success in Europe key to gaining wildcard
◉ Fear it's 'introducing a form of Super League by the back door'
◉ 'Big Six' in England could all qualify for #UCL
◉ Extra place via FA Cup pic.twitter.com/U6RLV3zdRg— Football Daily (@footballdaily) April 13, 2022
This would discriminate against a club such as Crystal Palace, who have made huge progress under Patrick Viera this season, securing a mid-table place and reaching the FA Cup semi-finals.
Speaking to the Daily Mail after their defeat to Chelsea, a club their owners have been linked to following Roman Abramovich’s sale of the club, Parish claims UEFA works against smaller clubs.
“Most days it feels like someone, somewhere is trying to disadvantage us.
"I still feel UEFA is an organisation that isn’t fit for purpose. It’s all about trying to promise the broadcasters, ’We’ll get you all the top teams in the Champions League by hook or crook, we will gerrymander it so you can give us a load of money.”
Parish claims that gerrymandering has played a big role in changes made by UEFA, criticising the role of PSG President Nasser Al- Khelaifi’s seat on the European Club Association (ECA) committee.
“Why that Club? Why not Crystal Palace or Leeds? It’s a ludicrous situation.
"Maybe we’re all stupid. Maybe we all get up every day and it’s all a waste of time, we’re never going to win anything, you should stay in your place, well I’m not going to do that.
"I don’t see the point. I don’t think other clubs should be prepared to do it either.”
It was a year ago that six of the Premier’s League’s biggest clubs were going to pull away to the Super League, an exclusive competition among Europe’s biggest clubs.
Following backlash by supporters, the clubs pulled their plans to join the competition.
However, the Crystal Palace chairman claims nothing has been done to challenge the elite within the sport.
"We’ve gone backwards.
"They’re still getting everything they want. There was a spirit of revolution but no one has even taken a penny off them. For some bizarre reason, everyone seems intimidated of any kind of positive change.
"We have to remember that we love football because teams like us can get here. You’ve got to have that, right?"
It will be interesting to see what other clubs speak out against the proposal.
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