Richard Scudamore Rejects Pleas for a Reduced Premier League

FC Barcelona President Sandro Rosell’s call for a 16 team league in all of Europe’s major leagues to create additional UEFA Champions League games have been rejected by Premier League Chief Executive Richard Scudamore.

The idea of a smaller league was initially an attempt to address the financial problems currently tormenting Spanish football. However Scudamore has insisted that the Premier League will continue with its 20-team format and that any reduction would simply suit Barcelona, rather than La Liga.

“Well that’s very nice of him (Rosell) to issue that as a statement but that’s a very Barcelona-centric view,” Scudamore said.

“Our clubs have no view whatsoever to be playing European football on a weekend. European football is a midweek competition, and domestic football is a weekend competition.”

The ECA is presently occupied in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with UEFA which will continue until 2014. Negotiations for a new agreement is under way and Rosell’s threats of a potential breakaway if UEFA fail to listen to the clubs’ demands have also been rejected by Scudamore.

“What has been said has been said but I’m not going to go along with the sentiment. In reality we have a Champions League, it’s a fantastic competition.

“Obviously, there are some things the clubs would like to alter and ultimately discussions will take place and UEFA will do something to make sure things stay intact. When it comes to ultimate football sanctions you just can’t break away.”