Cut leagues to allow Champions League matches, demands Barcelona's Rosell

By Andrew Warshaw in Doha

November 15 – Barcelona President Sandro Rosell (pictured) wants all Europe’s main leagues slashed to 16 clubs in order to facilitate playing Champions League matches at weekends.

And he warns that unless football’s governing bodies deliver on guaranteeing fewer demands on players for international fixtures, the prospect of a European breakaway league cannot be ruled out.

Despite frequent public pronouncements that the club-versus-country is becoming less polarised in Europe, behind the scenes clubs are increasingly frustrated with the failure of FIFA and UEFA to give ground in discussions over the international calendar – set in stone only for another three years.

In a hard-hitting address here at the Aspire4Sport conference here today, Rosell revealed that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UEFA, determining how its competitions are run, expires in 2014 and that there was, as yet, no deal to renew it.

“If UEFA does not accept…we will not sign and will not be obliged to give them what they ask for,” said Rosell.

“In the worst case scenario, with or without the UEFA umbrella, we will go away from UEFA.

“Nobody wants this situation.”

Rosell conceded that to play Champions League games at weekends, many leagues would have to be dramatically cut in size.

The idea seems certain to generate strong resistance, not least from the fans and Rosell admits his colleagues would take some convincing.

“It’s something all of them would have to agree to,” said Rosell (pictured).

“That includes the Premier League who would have to reduce from 20 to 16.

“If you explain the idea properly, at the end of the day it’s the best way of implementing the competitions in the near future.”

Rosell’s ideas have already been discussed at European Club Association (ECA) level, the body which represents most of Europe’s top-league professional clubs and of which he is vice-president.

Whether or not ECA members agree, one thing is for certain: they won’t accept the current status quo in terms of releasing players for much longer – and will go it alone if necessary.

“We want a bigger Champions League and hope one day we could play perhaps Barcelona versus Manchester United on Saturdays,” said Rosell.

“That’s what we are aiming for but to increase doesn’t necessarily mean to do it with UEFA.

“We want to have the Champions League under the UEFA umbrella, but we want UEFA to hear our demands.

“The ECA is asking for more revenues, governance, transparency, insurance, etc etc because this is what we think is fair.

“If UEFA and the ECA reach an agreement then that’s good for both parties.

“If not, with or without the UEFA umbrella, the ECA is entitled to organise their own champions’ competition by themselves of course.”

Rosell conveniently overlooks the fact that UEFA would also be entitled to take action against any unauthorised competition; and that dozens of Europe’s smaller clubs might prefer the option of maintaining strong links with European football’s governing body.

But he believes most would come onside.

“We are not trying to eliminate dates for national teams but the number of days our players are used by the national associations is huge, too much,” Rosell insisted.

“We don’t think it’s fair that we train our players and pay their salaries but they [UEFA and FIFA] get all the income using them.

“We hope they will understand this once and for all.”

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