Michel Platini, who has been tipped to become a future chief executive of UEFA, has stated that he will abolish the Champions League if he is ever elected president of Europe’s governing body.
The former France star, who is currently an executive committee member of both UEFA and FIFA, believes the current format of the competition is too elitist and would like to see a return to a system where the less successful European countries are treated on an equal footing with the likes of England, Spain and Italy.
‘I want only one competition with 256 teams which will face each other according to the direct elimination system,’ he told German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.
‘The European cups the way they are today are just a closed circus. The more matches there are, the more certain it is that big clubs win the competition but Bayern Munich should also play in Malta and in Georgia.’
Platini also revealeed that he would ensure the G-14 group comprising 18 of the richest European clubs, remains a peripheral influence on the game.
‘We also have to talk with the G-14, but never should they obtain an official role,’ he said.
‘Only UEFA and FIFA have the legitimacy to gather the international federations.’
