Counteracting Court Ruling Leaves UEFA Shaken, Says Liverpool Boss Klopp
In light of a groundbreaking court decision in Europe on Thursday, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes that UEFA has been put on notice and will be prevented from unilaterally adding matches to the calendar without opposition.
The European Court of Justice ruled that UEFA’s regulations which blocked the formation of the European Super League in 2021 were contrary to EU law. This ruling prompted backers of the Super League to claim triumph and immediately announce plans for new men’s and women’s competitions.
While Klopp echoed the sentiment in Liverpool’s statement that their involvement in the Super League had been dropped, his focus was on the court’s ruling emphasizing that governing bodies like UEFA and FIFA cannot operate in self-interest. Instead, they must adhere to a transparent, objective, non-discriminatory, and proportionate framework.
“I like that we get a little bit of understanding that people in UEFA and other FAs cannot just do what they want – putting in competitions with more games and no one has a real say in it,” he stated on Friday.
“I like that they get a bit of a shake – ‘OK, you cannot exactly do what you want’.”
Starting next season, the Champions League will consist of eight matches instead of six in a new 36-team league phase, along with the possibility of a two-leg play-off for 16 teams vying for the final eight berths in the first knockout round.
UEFA would assert that the new format was extensively discussed with the European Club Association, of which Liverpool is a member, in addition to leagues, national football associations, and players’ unions.
What effect the court ruling will have on UEFA and its decision-making process is yet to be seen, but Klopp’s sentiments suggest that football’s governing bodies may face greater challenge and scrutiny in the future when proposing changes to the sport’s schedule and structure.