New competition could ensure the
Champions League remains an ever-more elusive target for those outside the elite
Caving in to apparently nonexistent demands for a competition football fans were unaware they needed, European football’s governing body has announced a new wheeze due to kick off in 2021. Entitled the Europa Conference League, its name has prompted a
tsunami of amusing “Vauxhall” and “Vanarama” gags because of the c-word’s low-rent connotations in English football parlance. It will serve as a third-tier Uefa club competition and give more clubs in more countries a chance to participate in Europe.
At least that was the party line when the tournament was unveiled by Uefa’s president, Aleksander Ceferin, at the organisation’s executive committee meeting in Ljubljana on Tuesday, although cynics might be excused for thinking it is little more than a sop to keep European football’s also-rans happy while ensuring the wealthiest clubs continue to qualify for the Champions League.