Platini Facing Mounting Club Pressure

UEFA’s new president Michel Platini is meeting representatives from the
Association of European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL) today as pressure
grows for clubs to have a greater say in how the governing body runs its
competitions.

The meeting, being held in Nyon, Switzerland, has taken on added resonance
following Platini’s instalment as president last month with one of his primary
election mandates being a desire to reduce the number of spots allocated to the
major European footballing countries for the UEFA Champions League.

The top clubs, currently bolstered with improved finances from the latest set
of TV rights deals, are concerned that such a move would significantly hinder
their revenue streams and ability to buy new players.

Although talk of any breakaway from the Champions League is being played
down, there is growing concern amongst UEFA that the big leagues and clubs will
attempt to set up their own European club competition if the governing body does
not bow to their requests.

The EPFL, formed in 2004, is chaired by FA Premier League chairman Sir David
Richards and consists of representatives from 15 leagues from across the
continent with another seven due to join later this year.

With the influence of the clubs’ lobbying group G14 decreasing following
UEFA’s move to bring the major European clubs in-house with the formation of the
European Club Forum committee, the EPFL’s status as an external pressure group
has been growing in recent months.