Platini`s Champions League changes

[sergeyMS]

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hli ... es+changes

Michel Platini has revealed plans for a new format to UEFA Champions League qualification.

The Uefa president has proposed a shake-up to the final qualifying round, whereby the lowest-placed qualifiers from England, Spain, Italy, France, Germany and Portugal would play against each other.

The current seeding system usually allows clubs from the bigger European leagues to play against smaller sides in the round before the group stages.

However, Platini promised that smaller countries would be better represented in the Champions League if he was elected Uefa president and he intends to stay true to his word.

He is uncertain whether the likes of England, Spain and Italy should be allocated four spots at the expense of other countries' champions.

"It's not about disturbing England, Italy or Spain, but about finding a good balance," he insisted.

"My problem is that the two English, Spanish and Italian teams in the final qualifying round do not play against each other, they play against smaller teams.

"Perhaps the teams from the bigger countries, who have four and three qualifying teams, should play against each other.

"We want to add some of the other countries to the competition and to do that we have take some of the others away.

"I'm not sure that the fourth clubs from Spain, Italy and England are more important than the champions of Poland, Czech Republic and Denmark."

Platini's other ideas include banning players going on loan to teams playing in the same competitions as the club that owns them.

He explained: "If a player is on loan at one club it is logical for me that he is excluded in playing in the same competition as the club who owns him.

"He should not be able to play in the same league as his own club."

Platini also plans to prevent European clubs from signing players who are still owned by agents or companies - as happened with West Ham and the Argentine players Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano.

He is also keen for the image of the game to be improved, and wants to introduce tougher penalties for players who become involved in unsavoury incidents such as mass brawls.

Referees will also be encouraged to abandon games where there is overt racist abuse.