Roy Keane and Gary Neville agree with Arsene Wenger’s call for a UEFA rules change which would cost both Manchester United and Tottenham.
United and Spurs sit 15th and 16th in the Premier League respectively having endured miserable domestic campaigns, but having both cruised through their respective Europa League semi-finals, one of them will be competing in the Champions League next season.
Speaking to beIN Sports, Wenger claimed the Europa League winners should be rewarded with a place back in the same competition and said the rule was particularly unfair for English clubs.
“No – they should qualify automatically for the Europa League again but not necessarily for the Champions League,” Wenger said.
“Especially when you’re in the Premier League, where already five teams qualify.
“I think it’s something [for UEFA] to think about and to review. On the other hand, people will tell you that to keep the Europa League focused, interesting and motivated you need to give them that prize [of qualifying for the Champions League].”
Neville insists the glory of winning the Europa League has been diminished, with United in particular far more focused on Champions League qualification than the trophy itself, with the financial implications massive for securing a place in Europe’s showcase competition next term.
“I do actually agree a little bit with Arsene Wenger,” Neville said. “Every game we watch at the minute we just talk about the money at stakes. No one is talking about winning the Europa League to win a trophy.
“UEFA Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup used to be big trophies that club could win. Now, the first thing you hear is ‘yeah you get the Champions League, it’s a £60m game’. The FA Cup has become devalued, really great competitions have become devalued.”
And Keane is adamant that teams who have lost as many games as United and Spurs this season shouldn’t be competing against Europe’s best.
He said: “I agree with that. I think it’s spot on. To have five or six teams.. It’s called a Champions League.
“I think that’s kind of the incentive for smaller teams, they could get in through the back door. But Man Utd lose loads of games last year, losing loads of games this year. Spurs are the same.”
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In response to Wenger’s comments, United boss Amorim said: “In the end of the season, we can be the worst team in Premier League history with a European title.”
Spurs’ Ange Postecoglou was predictably more bolshie, insisting “Spurs does crazy things to people” as everyone tries to “diminish” their achievements.
“Well, I mean that’s a debate that’s been raging for years, like at least the last eight days,” he said.
“I’ve never heard that before, so… I’ve said it before, mate, Spurs does crazy things to people. It does, it does.
“You put that club into any sentence or any issue, and invariably they all come out and try and diminish as much as they can.
“Why wasn’t there an issue before and it’s an issue now? What’s the difference? I don’t understand what the difference is.
“Last year, fifth didn’t get you into the Champions League, this year it does. What does that mean?
“There are competition rules and the rules say that the winner goes into [the Champions League]. It’s not the first year, and there isn’t an asterisk against it that you have to do something else as well. But it’s Spurs mate, they love it. They love it. Oh, they love it, you love it, don’t you?”
