UEFA opens up CL for smaller teams

UEFA decide to open out the Champions League for smaller teams from Europe and decide to move the final to Saturday.

UEFA is opening up the Champions League to more clubs from smaller countries and moving the annual showcase final to a Saturday.

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In a number of changes to the competition approved yesterday, UEFA also said three English, Italian and Spanish clubs will qualify automatically for the Champions League starting in 2009. Under the current format, only the top two teams from the English Premier League, Italy's Serie A and Spain's La Liga are guaranteed a spot in the group stage.

That season's final in 2010 will then be held on a Saturday for the first time, instead of its traditional Wednesday date.

UEFA's executive committee said six of the 32 places in the group stage would be reserved for champions from Europe's less competitive leagues, to bring more countries into the continent's top club competition.

UEFA president Michel Platini vowed to protect the interests of smaller nations when he was elected to lead European soccer's governing body earlier this year.

The list of teams entering the Champions League "should be more democratic," Platini said.

Teams from Europe's less wealthy leagues "will get more money by entering and add value to the Champions League," he said.

Third-place and fourth-place clubs from the big three countries have been almost assured of a qualifying place because they usually had to play teams from weaker countries.

As of 2009, however, the fourth-placed team will be pitted against second-placed teams from stronger countries such as the Netherlands or Portugal.

The G-14 association of Europe's biggest clubs applauded the announcement, saying it was glad UEFA altered its initial proposal.

"G14 welcomes the fact that UEFA has shown a willingness to listen to the clubs and leagues," G14 general manager Thomas Kurth said. "Although UEFA's reform proposals were launched without prior consultation, G14's clubs have nevertheless sought to make a constructive response, with our prime concern being to ensure that the quality of the Champions League competition remains at the highest level."

The UEFA Cup, Europe's second-tier club competition, was also overhauled to have 48 spots in the group phase, up from the current format of 40.

The tournament will now have 12 groups of four teams, where the top two in each group move on to the knockout rounds. The current format is comprised of eight groups of five.

The unheralded Intertoto Cup, a summer tournament for final places in the UEFA Cup, has been abolished.

UEFA also announced that it would spread out the matches in the first knockout round of the Champions League over four weeks instead of two in a move to maximise live television opportuniti