OUT OF YOUR LEAGUE
Wenger: United and Spurs don’t deserve Champions League
CLASH: United and Spurs could face each other in the Europa League final CLASH: United and Spurs could face each other in the Europa League final
Image: EPA
FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development Arsene Wenger has thrown in the spanner in the works for Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, saying they shouldn’t play in next season’s Champions League.
The former Arsenal coach reckons Uefa has to review their decision to give the Europa League winner an automatic Champions League spot - especially when it’s a Premier League team.
The English league will already have five teams in next season’s competition, with a big possibility that they will be joined by either the Red Devils or Spurs.
Given that coach Ruben Amorim’s United are currently down in 15th place in England, with Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs hot on their heels in 16th, Wenger doesn’t think that deserve to play in Europe’s elite competition.
United and Spurs could meet each other in the final of the Europa League on 21 May, with Amorim’s manskappe taking a 3-0 lead into this weekend’s semifinal second leg against Atletico Bilbao, while Spurs are 3-1 up against Bodo/ Glimt.
NOT IMPRESSED: Arsene Wenger NOT IMPRESSED: Arsene Wenger
Image: AFP
Asked if the Europa League winners should play in the Champions League, Wenger tells BeIN Sports: “No. They should qualify automatically for the Europa League but not necessarily for the Champions League.
“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 [Champions League].”