UEFA’s new proposals to allow teams from outside the top four to qualify for the Champions League looks set to favour the ‘big six’ – NOT like likes of Newcastle United.
As of 2024, UEFA will introduce a new format for qualifying for the Champions League – entry via the top four remains the same, but a select few will now still be allowed entry as a ‘wildcard’ even if they finish fifth.
This will work based on historical performances and ‘UEFA club coefficients’, with the top 10 consisting of the biggest clubs in Europe.
However, about 70 places later you get to Newcastle who sit in 94th, below other Premier League sides such as Burnley, Southampton and Everton.
This means if we were to finish fifth over the next few years we would have almost no chance of qualifying for the Champions League while someone like Tottenham or Arsenal would.
Watch Sky Sports’ Rob Dorsett explain why these new proposals stand to work AGAINST the likes of Newcastle United below:
Essentially, this is just another way to help the ‘elite’ get in through the back door when they have a poor season.
Given the plans set out by our new owners and the money they are willing to spend, European football is clearly a big target for the next 10 years, but all these proposals do is protect UEFA’s biggest assets.
After the whole debacle of the European Super League, this should come as no surprise to fans of clubs outside the big six, but it doesn’t make it any less distasteful.
What a pointless article this is, we wouldn’t have qualified for Champions League at any point in 5th position anyway so it’s irrelevant to Newcastle in the short term, the changes that are being made but could benefit us longer term if we are successful in Europe, so whilst it is a UEFA initiative to benefit the bigger clubs it may work in our favour in the future and I’m sure you’ll not be moaning then !
David(Quote)