Could Celtic Get Locked Out of Future Champions League Play?
Money seems to rule football unlike at any time before, and a group of four of the top leagues in Europe are threatening to ruin the magic of the Champions League as it currently stands.
Some would argue that the real magic of the Champions League has long gone already, but an accepted proposal to allow four spots for each of the top four leagues has threatened to make life for clubs like Celtic really difficult.
The proposed changes are scheduled to take affect for the 2018-19 Champions League, leaving just eight spots instead of 10 for clubs outside of the top four leagues. Right now, UEFA has them scheduled to take affect, and only a band of voters within the organization can change what seems to be inevitable.
Former UEFA general secretary and chairman of the European Professional Football Leagues organization, Lars-Christer Olsson, believes this type of move would mean a very rare European future for one of the biggest clubs in the world — Celtic.
The EPFL chairman believes Celtic’s chances should the newly accepted changes actually go through in 2018-19 would be slim to none.
“Yes. That’s definitely one of the results.”
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Luckily, Celtic and clubs for other leagues in Europe appear wholly opposed to the proposed changes and look for at least the status quo to be in place for the short-term future. This group also is prepared for a fight, and may have the combined muscle to win.
But, it may not be on the four leagues getting four teams in each. Instead, it may come in the form of saving the “champions route” to the Champions League group stage. It is that route that got Celtic its place in the current UCL competition for the 2016-17 season.
“It’s absolutely vital for all our leagues in the second tier that that remains because, if you’ve got access to Europe by winning your domestic competition, that enhances the domestic competition,” Doncaster told BBC Scotland.
“As soon as you remove that access then, yes, you might still get prize money, the domestic glory of being champions of Scotland, but if you’re not getting access to Europe then a big part of what it means to be champions of Scotland is removed.”
It’s all part of the reason why Celtic may be clamoring for a spot in the EFL and attempting to put itself in the English Premier League to make European football possible.
Simply put, the chances of getting to that level are far greater than an ever-decreasing amount of spots available throughout Europe should the already ratified (and some argue not legal) changes actually go through.
It is also likely the same reason why the EFL seems so wholly against Celtic (and that club without much history in the same city) joining their ranks.
No matter what, it seems like the whole of European football is on the verge of changing unless a united effort to remind people about what football is really supposed to be about — competition — remains the focal point.
As Olsson put it:
“Football is based on merit in Europe. That’s the tradition, unlike in some other countries, where you have a closed shop.”
After Wednesday night’s mind-blowing event at Celtic Park, perhaps we as Celtic supporters should remember to savor those moments. It sure seems as if they cold be fleeting at best if the giant money-makers of European football have their way.