I see this morning he is claiming that they are considering the abolition of the Europa League.  That's Liverpool fucked then   On a serious note though, i've thought the Europa league actually had more excitement than the Champions league over the past couple of seasons.  Change for change sake?

 

Asked about possible plans to extend the elite Champions League at the expense of the second-tier Europa League on Wednesday by the Ouest-France., Platini said: "There is an ongoing debate to determine what form the European competitions will have between 2015 and 2018.

 

"We're discussing it, we will make a decision in 2014. Nothing is decided yet."

One of the options being looked at is the possibility of extending the final phase of the Champions League from 32 to 64 teams.

 

The Europa League generates far lower revenue for clubs than the Champions League and has been criticised since it evolved from the Uefa Cup in 2009.

Meanwhile, the Uefa president said that he was not worried by talk of the creation by Europe's rich clubs of a competition to rival the Champions League.

 

"It's a question that is regularly brought up," said the former French midfielder.

"It doesn't worry me. I can't see how it could work outside the Uefa framework.

"Who will referee them? In what stadiums will they play? A lot of people want them? I don't think so."

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/europa-league/9706994/Michel-Platini-Uefa-are-considering-scrapping-Europa-League-and-extending-Champions-League.html

bring back the cwc

Get the Europa League to fuck. Absolutely no point in having a "second tier" competition that any half decent teams only see as a hindrance. 

Get the Europa League to fuck. Absolutely no point in having a "second tier" competition that any half decent teams only see as a hindrance. 

 

Wrong

Get rid of the parachuting of chumps league teams into the europa league

 

tbh just get back to a straight knock out tournament.  I have no real interest in the group stages of either European tournament and increasing the champions league numbers will just make it worse

agree with bringing back the cup winners cup as well as or instead of having the old style UEFA knock out comp absolutely 100%.

 

Thing is though, they'll not go back to anything they've scrapped because they're far too arrogant to admit they fucked it up and are essentially ruining football for all but the top handful of rich clubs

 

It's definitely gone down in stature since it changed from the UEFA Cup to the Europa League. That said, I can't see why many of the English teams view it as a punishment. On Fulham's run to the final, you could see the excitement that run generated from it. For teams such as Fulham, Newcastle, Everton and even Tottenham, it would be a massive achievement to reach the final and possibly win it. I would also be in favour of scrapping the third placed Champions League team being parachuted into the Europa League. It definitely diminishes it as then you get teams that really have no real interest in playing in it despite what they say e.g - Man United and Man City last season.

 

European football's governing body Uefa is considering ditching the Europa League in favour of extending the Champions League from 32 to 64 teams.    "We're discussing it. We will make a decision in 2014. Nothing is decided yet," Uefa president Michel Platini told French newspaper Ouest-France. 

    It means seven English clubs and five Scottish teams could enter at a qualifying round stage.

    Uefa are looking at changing the format of European competitions from 2015.

    "There is an ongoing debate to determine what form the European competitions will have between 2015 and 2018," added Platini.

    The Champions League is a far more lucrative competition than Europe's second-tier tournament, while the Europa League has also been criticised by some since it replaced the Uefa Cup in 2009.

    Last week Newcastle manager Alan Pardew said the Europa League was more difficult to negotiate  than the Champions League because of its "heavier schedule" and Thursday night kick-offs.

    Despite that, Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas - who won the competition with Porto in 2011 - has said he could not understand why the tournament was viewed as a punishment  in England.

    It has been reported that Europe's richest clubs are planning to form a breakaway European league. 

    Barcelona president Sandro Rosell said earlier this month that he would like to cut the number of teams competing in the top tier of domestic leagues and expand the Champions League.

    But Platini, a former France international, said he was not worried by talk of a tournament to rival the Champions League being set up.

    "It's a question that is regularly brought up," he said.

    "I can't see how it could work outside the Uefa framework. Who will referee them? In what stadiums will they play?"

 

 

It's definitely gone down in stature since it changed from the UEFA Cup to the Europa League. That said, I can't see why many of the English teams view it as a punishment. On Fulham's run to the final, you could see the excitement that run generated from it. For teams such as Fulham, Newcastle, Everton and even Tottenham, it would be a massive achievement to reach the final and possibly win it. I would also be in favour of scrapping the third placed Champions League team being parachuted into the Europa League. It definitely diminishes it as then you get teams that really have no real interest in playing in it despite what they say e.g - Man United and Man City last season.

 

 

 

It's not really the Fulhams and the Evertons that make a mockery of it. But clubs like Liverpool and Man Utd. Their priorities will always lie in their domestic league and they won't see it as a major priority. Although ironically Liverpool have no chance. But Rodgers still sees it as a diddy competition going by his team selections. And Everton should quite rightly be aiming for Champions League football given their start to the season. For low- mid table teams it's still a massive competition. I never watch it on TV though. Even if Liverpool are on it's a chore but only because they're shite. In my opinion we should get rid. Although I'm not convinced doubling the champions league is the answer although I think it's along the right lines. They maybe need to change the name of it. Otherwise we'll continue to get the "Why do teams that finish fifth in their domestic league get into the "Champion's" League?!" pish.

The teams abroad are generally much more respectful of it. Madrid was absolutely heaving when Athletico won it. Super Cup too.