"It's unfair": Arsène Wenger wants to change another rule in football

Arsène Wenger has rekindled the debate around this rule, which is making some clubs happy.

Arsène Wenger wants to change a rule regarding qualification for Europe's biggest competition: the Champions League. The legendary Arsenal manager points to the change in "status" of the Europa League , which, since 2014, has given its winner a ticket to its big sister, the Champions League. FIFA's Director of Global Football doesn't support this approach, as he explained to BeiN Sports : " The winners should automatically qualify for the Europa League, but not necessarily for the Champions League ."

A rule that could benefit Manchester United or Tottenham this season. The two English clubs, 15th and 16th respectively in the Premier League, are in a favorable position to reach the Europa League final on May 21 and therefore potentially participate in the Champions League . For Arsène Wenger, this is a system that makes no sense, especially in England " where five teams have already qualified for the Champions League ."

While UEFA claims that this system makes the Europa League more attractive to clubs and the public, since the competition's overhaul in the 2009-2010 season, no team below 13th place in its league has won the Champions League (Sevilla, 12th in 2023). A sporting logic that has therefore often prevailed despite the Champions League ticket at stake, " something that UEFA must rethink and review, " concludes Arsène Wenger.