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European Professional Football Leagues Chair Lars-Christer Olsson "insists they are ready" to defy UEFA over the governing body's "totally crazy" plans for changes to the Champions League and Europa League, according to Frank Dalleres of CITY A.M. Olsson said that the leagues "might break their agreement not to schedule domestic fixtures" on the same night as UEFA competitions unless changes set to take effect from '18 were scrapped. If the EPFL threat were carried out, "it could mean heavyweight Premier League matches competing with Champions League games" for TV audiences. Olsson said at the Leaders Sport Business Summit in London, "UEFA decided to break conditions in the memorandum of understanding. If we terminate [it] there is no obligation for leagues to stick to this agreement. In the end it would not be good for anybody, so the only sensible thing coming out of this is an agreement." Asked if that could mean "domestic matches clashing with European fixtures," he said, "Absolutely, but that has to be decided by the leagues" (
CITY A.M., 10/5). The AFP reported Olsson said that clubs that had qualified for the Champions League "would not be forced to choose between fulfilling fixtures in the competition and playing league matches." He said, "We would not create problems for our own clubs because that would not be sensible. We are reasonably well-educated" (
AFP, 10/5).
DONCASTER ISSUES WARNING: The PA reported Scottish Professional Football League CEO Neil Doncaster said that UEFA's proposed changes to the make-up of the Champions League could "irreversibly damage" Scottish football and other leagues across the continent. Doncaster: "The threat is very real, very significant. We are only talking about the cycle of 2018-21 but the direction of travel that UEFA have embarked upon is a very dangerous route. It threatens the very future of very top-level football and it is vital that a line is drawn in the sand now and the EPFL take the firm stand that is required and start the pulling back of the very damning proposals." He added, "I have been in the game 20 years, I have never seen the game in Europe as united against a set of proposals." Member associations of the EPFL would be free to organize matches at any time if Olsson "sees through his threat to alter the current agreement," something he has said could happen if UEFA does not "return to the table to discuss the Champions League changes." Olsson: "This is why we are reacting as we are now, they (UEFA) are setting all the conditions for a private, closed league in the future" (PA, 10/5).
