Edwin van der Sar has not minced his words when he talks about the Champions League stitch up that is not on the way but already here with more proposals on the horizon to make it even more of a closed shop.
The Ajax chief was in fine form as he called out UEFA’s managing of their elite competition where it now favours the richer leagues and clubs while teams like Ajax and Celtic are left behind in the dust.
The former goalkeeper also has an even better point to make after last season when he watched his club get to the semi-final of the Champions League with Ajax being seconds away from the final before late heartbreak. Edwin points out all that Ajax have accomplished in the season just gone and proceeds to question why they must go through two rounds of qualifiers when fourth in La Liga just saunter into the competition.
Van der Sar: “We won the league, we won the cup, and we were very close to the final of the Champions League. Yet we still have to play 2 qualification rounds to qualify for the CL. This can’t be good. Someone needs to explain why number 4 of La Liga does qualify.”
Spot on. pic.twitter.com/rO8RlNrFMS
— AFC Ajax ? (@TheEuropeanLad) June 8, 2019
As we all know, Celtic have to go through four qualifiers to make it to the group stages even though they are the champions of Scotland.
Peter Lawwell and Edwin have been fighting the good fight when it comes to challenging UEFA as leading members of the ECA – an organisation whose fundamental belief is that clubs in all European countries who are good enough to develop and play regularly in European competitions should have the chance to do so.
Should not worry about it. if we leave Europe none of the clubs in the UK will be allowed take part, and come October UK teams might have to withdraw from the competitions
If true then we can form a new CL set where only winners take part…
Edwin VDS needs to link up with Lawwell and a few more CEOs and take this point to UEFA. Power in numbers. The competition is getting more of a joke each year. Money and elitism rule. Ruining the”Champions” League. Hey, either that or rename the competition.
Lawwell fighting our corner, how reassuring!