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Wednesday August 19, 2009

Wenger sees Euro soccer league in 10 years

LONDON: A European soccer league will be up and running within 10 years as the continent’s top clubs look at new ways to raise income, according to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

Wenger, whose team faced Scottish side Celtic yesterday in the first leg of their play-off to reach the lucrative Champions League group phase, said there were “voices” in the game plotting an alternative to the current situation.

“I believe the national leagues will survive, but certainly within 10 years there will be a European League,” Wenger was quoted as saying by British media yesterday.

“At the moment the income is owned and distributed by UEFA, but the way we’re going now financially is that even the money that comes in from the Champions League won’t be enough for some clubs because they spent so much money.

“I’m not sure how it would work, but I feel that inside the game that there are some voices coming up to do something about this, especially if the rules become too restrictive for the big clubs.”

Wenger suggested that big clubs could even have two teams, one for the national league and one for a European competition.

“If you don’t want to change the national league, maybe teams will have to play in the international league in midweek and in the national league at the weekend – and all the clubs will have two teams.” — Reuters

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