Euorpa League Winners to enter CL

So the plan to have the Europa League winners get automatic qualification to the Champions League has now come to pass, meaning that the prize isn't just a twisty trophy, but a pass into the prestige of Europe's premier competition.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22640095

Or is it? Given most of the teams that reach the latter stages are CL dropouts from the same season and are likely as not to qualify again the next season anyway, is this really that much of an incentive?

I still think the CL is way too diluted with so many teams in there that are champions of nothing. It should be league champions only in a knockout competition, in which the EL winners could then participate. Then, make the EL about cup winners and fill with the league also-rans, which would pour bigger clubs into it and increase it's popularity.

Or would that just suck too much money out of the G14 clubs?

I like the way it is already. Although I don't get why 3rd placed teams in the league rounds end up in the Europa League - shite rule.

About time the winner of the Europa League had the chance in the Champions League though.

We all know footy is about money now so I can't see them slimming down the CL to be more meaningful rather than cash cow oriented.

Sensible move to allow the winners of EL to go to CL directly.

Just need to get rid of the fair play bollocks rule allowing clubs to get into EL by 'playing fair'

Jordan wrote:I like the way it is already. Although I don't get why 3rd placed teams in the league rounds end up in the Europa League - shite rule.

It is. When you look at the clubs that go through the process of qualifying, then going through the group stages, they should find themselves in what the Europeans delightfully call the "Round of 16". Having worked that hard to get there, they shouldn't then find themselves getting landed with a load of clubs from the CL, some of whom are leviathans that just missed out on getting through the CL groups themselves and end up sweeping aside all these other clubs who've worked so hard. Almost every year, the EL winner is a CL cast-off.

Topdawg wrote:Just need to get rid of the fair play bollocks rule allowing clubs to get into EL by 'playing fair'

I don't mind the idea of a club getting in on fair play, but the way it's applied is dreadful. The highest placed team in the "fairest" country, that hasn't already qualified in Europe gets the nod, how ridiculous!! There's clubs in other leagues who miss out because of a few dirty teams who ruin the party. Not to mention the fact it's usually Scandinavian clubs who get through, largely (I suspect) down to their officials not being so card-happy, so their leagues usually end up at the top of the pile.