Champions League revolt could revamp prize competition

London: A new breakaway Champions League remains a serious option for some clubs ahead of crunch talks over potentially radical changes to the structure of European club football.

The vast global popularity of the Premier League is continuing to alarm clubs across other major leagues, who are increasingly looking to European competition as their main potential area of revenue growth.

Meetings have been held to discuss options which, as well as a new tournament, also include significant change to a Champions League that would become more concentrated between the most marketable clubs in Europe.

Several documents have been circulating with proposals that range from a completely new competition to tweaks to the existing structure.

It is understood that one proposal is to create a single expanded European competition that would guarantee at least six places for the biggest leagues.

Others have included an additional selection before the current group phase that would reduce the teams to 16, as well as guaranteed places for certain clubs, and matches at the weekend, although this would be opposed by the English clubs.

Dalian Wanda Group, the property and entertainment conglomerate run by billionaire Wang Jianlin, has denied pushing for clubs to join a new competition but did admit to talks designed to “explore ways in which sports and business can be further developed”.

Italian and Spanish clubs are leading the push for the widest-ranging overhaul. Officials from Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool were photographed after meeting in March but it is not the English contingent pushing for major change.

The German clubs are also relatively relaxed. The Premier League’s new pounds 5.14 billion (Dh24.9 billion) broadcast deal already dwarfs the money on offer in other domestic leagues, with the competition’s allure evident in the appointments of Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola, Antonio Conte and Jurgen Klopp.

The Champions League has struggled to keep pace with the Premier League’s revenue growth.

Last season, for example, Real Madrid earned less from winning an 11th European Cup than the top 11 English teams from their involvement in the Premier League.

That gap is expected to further grow in this current broadcast cycle from 2016.

The frustration in Europe is that, by opening up European competitions to more countries, Uefa has followed a path that might lead to political popularity but does not maximise the commercial potential for the most marketable clubs.

There is also a feeling that the Champions League in its current form only becomes exciting when the knockout phase starts in February.

Michel Platini was forced out of office last year and a new Uefa president will be elected on September 14.

The format for Uefa club competitions for the three years after 2018 is likely to be discussed by the executive committee on September 15 before a final decision in December.

A Uefa spokesman said: “Any plans to evolve the format of our club competitions would be coordinated and negotiated together with [all stakeholders, including the clubs]. There are currently no concrete proposals on the table since we are only a season into a new cycle [2015-18] of our club competitions. However, we expect a decision to be made by the end of 2016.”