The Europa League faces being scrapped as part of UEFA plans to create an enlarged Champions League from 2015.
Under the proposals, the unloved tournament, which evolved from the UEFA Cup, would be abandoned while the first‑round group stage of the Champions League could contain up to seven clubs from a single country.
“There is an ongoing debate to determine what form the European competitions will have between 2015 and 2018,” said Platini (above). “We’re discussing it and we will make a decision in 2014. Nothing is decided yet.”
Another proposal is for the Europa League finalists to be awarded places in the following season’s Champions League.
The Europa League has gained little favour across the continent, especially from many English clubs who believe the Thursday matches damage their chances of competing strongly on the domestic front. The secondary competition also generates far less revenue than the Champions League.
Platini dismissed, the idea that the continent’s wealthiest clubs would form a breakaway league outside the jurisdiction of the governing body.
Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has called for the number of clubs in the top divisions of each country to be cut and for the Champions League to be extended, but Platini insists he is unworried at the notion of European football’s big players parking their tanks on UEFA’s lawn.
“It is a question that is regularly brought up,” said the Frenchman. “However, I can’t see how it could work outside the UEFA framework. Who would referee these matches and in what stadiums would they take place?”
