Champions League

Comment: Reform of the Rich

The Champions League starts in the new season – in the middle of the discussion to their highly controversial Reform. The only benefits the top clubs, and also harms the UEFA, writes DW’s editor Olivia Gerstenberger.

From one title to another record – breaking Champions FC Bayern München Reform due to the Champions League even richer

On Wednesday in Athens, a new UEFA is elected President. And it is about time. Because of Europe’s powerful football Association, is for months in a power vacuum and exploited the crafty heads of the top clubs: they have brought from the UEFA gritting his teeth a Reform approved, will apply from 2018. The construct can be described simply: The Rich get richer. The four major leagues in Spain, Germany, England and Italy get in the future, four solid starting places. So half of the seats is already occupied. Loser of the smaller Nations such as Switzerland, may lose their place and it is still difficult to penetrate in the elite circles. This should also deter potential sponsors.

In the case of the distribution of the money to benefit the new key, which takes into account even the successes from the past, in the future, especially the clubs that are already for years ahead. The UEFA even speaks of a “significant” increase in revenue. The football magazine “kicker” has brought an example: Would Real win Madrid in the summer of 2019 for the title. the Spaniards were given the incredible 135,5 million Euro bonus. For a departure in the group phase, there would then ‘only’ 19.5 million. The gap between Europa League and Champions League will be even bigger.

All of this translates to the example of the Bundesliga: even Though, in addition to the Bavaria, also Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Mönchengladbach are currently represented in the Champions League, only Bayern a lot of money. Who dives regularly into the semi-finals, sweeps in the future, more than 100 million euros – who will not survive the group stage, has been unlucky. What does this mean for competition in the national leagues, is also on Hand.

A Threat Superliga

DW sports editor Olivia Gerstenberger

The Reform was not a Revolution but an Evolution, knocked down, accordingly, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge satisfied on the shoulder. The is not only Chairman of the Board of FC Bayern München, but also the chief of the ECA, the European Club Association, which many associations belong, but especially the Big ones set the tone. Rummenigge has achieved what he wanted: to catapult Bayern international in new spheres – the Premier League is about ahead of the Bundesliga by miles. National the Bavarians are already all well ahead. Especially Rummenigge, the engine, the pace of Reform and the UEFA in the corner was, As twice before it is threatened with one of the Top corporate-sponsored, elite and, above all, Autonomous European “Superleague”. This Argument draws it always seems to be very good. The current leadership lots and the orientation of the search at the end of the UEFA buckled with fear, waved the Reform – and all this shortly before the election of the new President.

The had to stop the plans, the EPFL, the Association of European leagues. Otherwise you’ll get lots of national leagues in European Cup evenings. Again a threatening gesture, which is not a good taste of the UEFA and its Marketing partners. The Problem: a candidate for the presidency – the Dutchman Michael van Praag has supported the Reform as a member of the UEFA Executive already active. The other candidate – the Slovenian Aleksander Ceferin – the Reform “is still better than a private super League”. Three years of this Reform is to apply, then is re-negotiated. Until then, the new UEFA President, a long time in the office. He finished the insanity, may nevertheless be doubted. And the rumors of a new “World Super League” with clubs such as Bayern Munich, Juventus Turin and Real Madrid, but also from China, Brazil and Australia hold more stubbornly.

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