Arsenal’s former manager, Arsenal, has proposed major reforms to the UEFA Europa League qualification rules.
His proposal comes as Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are struggling in the Premier League and are about to reach the Europa League final.
Currently, the Europa League winners are winning an automatic spot in the UEFA Champions League the following season. This is the first rule since 2014.
However, Wenger argues that this route to top European competition should be rethinked, especially for poorly performed teams in the country.
Arsene Wenger has some interesting suggestions
He believes that Europa League winners should instead qualify for the Europa League next season and maintain Champions League integrity.
While talking about Bein Sport, Wenger said:
“They need to automatically qualify for the Europa League, not necessarily for the Champions League, especially when five teams are in the league that qualify.”
He acknowledges the current rules aim to keep Europa League competition, but he questions the fairness of teams like Man United and Tottenham, who rank 15th and 16th in the Premier League, respectively, can secure Champions League spots through this backdoor.
Tottenham and Man United fans are against Wenger
This perspective sparked debate among soccer experts and fans.
Some argue that incentives for Europa League Champions League qualifications add value and competitiveness to the tournament. The timing of Wenger’s opinions is important here. United and the Spurs are rivals of the club he managed for over 20 years and are close to winning the European trophy.
Others like Wenger feel it undermines the merits of European football.
With United and Tottenham taking a big lead in semi-final bonds, UEFA may need to revisit and evaluate the implications of the eligibility rules as the Europa League final approach approaches.
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