Sports
UEFA set for third European club competition from 2021-22 season
UEFA are set to roll out a third European club competition from 2021-22, pending the final approval from the executive committee.
The new competition will join the Champions League and Europa League to expand the overall number of clubs involved in European football to 96.
Juventus chief and European Club Association chairman Andrea Agnelli outlined more details on the proposal.
“These new regulations will be even more effective than the ones we had in place which delivered astonishing results which have just been announced by UEFA,” said Agnelli.
“Pending approval of the UEFA ExCo, the ‘green light’ has been given to introduce a third competition, bringing the overall number of clubs to 96, as of the 2021-22 season.
“A detailed assessment of the existing International Match Calendar is required prior to presenting a new model post-2024. The current model needs modernising.”
The Champions League is unlikely to be altered, though the Europa League will be modified to spread the quality out. That means the current number of teams in the secondary European competition is likely to fall from the current 48 teams to 32.
Sides from smaller nations will allegedly instead compete in the new tournament, which is reportedly set to be broadcast largely online.
UEFA have run a two-tournament club season since the Intertoto Cup was disbanded in 2008.
They previously also had the Cup-Winners’ Cup, which was scrapped 1999 after Italy’s Lazio beat Real Mallorca of Spain in its last ever final at Villa Park in Birmingham.
The idea is likely to help de-clutter the congested pre-qualifying process and aid smaller nations, such as Scotland, promote their football more and provide more opportunities for their lesser teams to gain experience.
Scottish champions Celtic’s chief executive Peter Lawwell previously called for the Europa League to be expanded, his logic being that it having more teams would help to address the competitive balance in domestic leagues.
He said: “We should be looking at supporting our bigger clubs, supporting our clubs in Europe and exporting Scottish football so whatever we do in Europe, or whatever any club participating do, it brings back coefficient points and significant revenue for the league.
“So that would be a huge mistake and I don’t think that would happen. I think people are smart enough to realise the consequences of dumbing down the big clubs and therefore it won’t.
“My view on competitive balance in Europe and in Scotland is about access and inclusion. So negative steps like squad caps, salary caps – these to me are negative and actually harm the development of football. It should be all about inclusion.
“For example, if we can expand the Europa League from 2021 to 2024 maybe from 48 to 64 teams and get the access right, that might mean teams like Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs have a better chance of entering the group stages, therefore gaining transforming finance and therefore improving their competitiveness back here in Scotland.
“So rather than having negative influences we should be looking at far more positive and looking at ways of inclusion and access for clubs from medium to small-sized nations.
“That, for me, would be the transformer for Scottish football.”
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed the appointment of German tactician Bruno Labbadia as the new Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men’s National Team, the Super Eagles.
This development was announced by the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, in the early hours of Tuesday, following the approval of the NFF Executive Committee based on a recommendation from its Technical and Development Sub-Committee. Labbadia’s appointment takes immediate effect.
Born on 8th February 1966 in Darmstadt, Germany, Labbadia enjoyed a distinguished playing career, earning two caps for the German national team. His club career included stints at prominent clubs such as Darmstadt 98, Hamburger SV, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, Arminia Bielefeld, and Karlsruher SC. Notably, he won the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in 1994.
Labbadia’s coaching career has seen him manage top-tier clubs such as Hertha Berlin, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, and Bayer Leverkusen, among others. He holds a UEFA Pro License and is well-regarded for his tactical acumen.
With his appointment, Labbadia becomes the sixth German to lead the Super Eagles, following in the footsteps of Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Gottlieb Göller, Manfred Höner, Berti Vogts, and Gernot Rohr. Höner notably guided the Super Eagles to a runner-up finish at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, while Rohr qualified Nigeria for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Labbadia’s immediate task is to prepare the Super Eagles for their upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches.
Nigeria will face Benin Republic on Saturday, 7th September in Uyo, and Rwanda on Tuesday, 10th September in Kigali. The team will also play four additional qualifying matches in October and November as they aim to secure a spot in the 2025 AFCON, scheduled to be held from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
The Super Eagles, placed in Group D, will face familiar foes Benin Republic, who recently defeated Nigeria in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The draw for the AFCON qualifiers, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, last month, also sees Nigeria taking on Libya and Rwanda, both of whom are also part of the Super Eagles’ group for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers set to be hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Labbadia’s appointment comes at a crucial time as the Super Eagles look to regain their dominance on the African continent and secure qualification for both the AFCON and the World Cup.
Finidi George has stepped into a new role as the technical manager for NPFL side, Rivers United, following his resignation as coach of the Super Eagles.
During his brief tenure with the Eagles, George’s 1-1 draw against South Africa in Uyo and a 2-1 loss to Benin Republic in Abidjan cast doubts on Nigeria’s World Cup qualification, prompting calls from fans for his dismissal.
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Nevertheless, Rivers United, the 2021-22 champions, expressed optimism in a statement on Wednesday via their official handle about having the former Eagles international manage their team.
“Finidi brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our team, having had a distinguished playing career spanning over fifteen years,” the statement read.
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Dr. Okey Kpalukwu, General Manager of Rivers United FC, welcomed George, stating, “We are delighted to have Finidi George join our team. His appointment marks a new chapter in our club’s history, and we are committed to working together to achieve success.”
Expressing his gratitude to the club, an elated George remarked, “I am honored to have this opportunity, and I thank the Sports Commissioner, the General Manager, and the supporters for their confidence in me. I am committed to working hard and making the team win.”
Inter Milan were taken over by US fund Oaktree on Wednesday after the Serie A champions’ outgoing owners Suning missed a deadline to repay a debt worth hundred of millions of euros.
In a statement, Oaktree announced they had “assumed control” of Inter after the non-repayment of a “three-year loan to Inter Milan’s holding companies that matured on 21 May 2024 with a total balance due of approximately 395 million euros ($428 million)”.
Chinese conglomerate Suning have relinquished control of Inter to Oaktree three days after the team were officially crowned Italian champions for the 20th time.
Suning borrowed 275 million euros at over 12 percent interest three years ago to pay staff and players as the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the finances of clubs across Europe, putting up their controlling stake in the club as collateral.
“Oaktree is dedicated to achieving the best outcome for the long-term prosperity of Inter Milan, with an initial focus on operational and financial stability for the Club and its stakeholders,” Oaktree continued.
Inter became a powerful force at home and abroad after Suning acquired the club in 2016, with seven trophies including two Serie A titles and two European finals.
Simone Inzaghi’s team cruised to this year’s championship, winning the Scudetto with five matches remaining by beating AC Milan in a thrilling local derby.
Oaktree, which manages $192 billion in assets, said they are “committed to working closely with Inter Milan’s current management team, partners, the league and governing bodies to ensure the Club is positioned for success on and off the pitch”.
Inter ended up in the hands of Oaktree in a manner similar to the way another US fund, Elliott Management, took control of their local rivals Milan in 2018.
Elliott became Milan’s owners when Chinese businessman Li Yonghong was unable to repay a loan he had taken out when he bought the club from the late Silvio Berlusconi’s Fininvest the previous year.
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