Champions' League plan is approved

UEFA last night increased the Champions' League from 16 to 24 teams.

UEFA's executive committee approved the plan at a meeting in Turkey to allow soccer's strongest nations - England, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Holland and Belgium - have a second team entered into Europe's most prestigious cup competition.

Under the new format, the defending champions and the winners of Europe's seven strongest leagues will receive automatic berths into a Champions' League consisting of 24 teams in six groups.

But the expanded format means a number of matches must be played during the summer, with a preliminary round involving champions from 32 countries to be played in July.

The 16 winners then play a qualifying round in August with eight of the remaining national champions plus eight additional high-placed teams battling it out for the 16 Champions' League places up for grabs.

The final pool of 24 teams will be divided into six groups of four, with the winner of each group and the two best runners-up advancing to the quarter-finals.

An English Football Association spokesman, Steve Double, said: "The announcement simply confirms a decision taken in Switzerland during the summer.

"Both the FA and the Premier League supported the proposal, which gives even greater emphasis to the European Cup."

UEFA president Lennart Johansson also unveiled a plan to stage a tournament between the four continental champions from Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa.

Johansson revealed that Euro `96 winners Germany have opted not to take part in the event, scheduled for December 1997, and that runners-up the Czech Republic would now be invited.

The executive committee also approved an under-17 tournament between Africa and Europe's top national youth teams to take place between January 29th and February 10th, 1997, possibly in Portugal.

Meanwhile, Neil Lennon spent 18 months out of the game wondering if he would ever recover sufficiently from a serious spinal injury to resume his career.

But recover he did to such an extent the he is now a key figure in Northern Ireland's World Cup plans and Leicester's Premiership ambitions.

The 25-year-old midfielder counts his blessings as he prepares to tackle Armenia in a Group Nine qualifier on Saturday at Windsor Park.

"When I had problems with my back it did cross my mind that I might never play football again.

"I am loving every minute at Leicester, and it is great to be involved at the international level."

Lennon's impressive form in his formative years saw Manchester City bring him over from Irish League club Glenavon. But it didn't work at Maine Road and he was allowed to go to Crewe on a free transfer.

Manager Dario Gradi had just started working on his game when the spinal flaw was diagnosed.

"It was a devastating blow at the time," said Lennon. "Luckily I was in the hands of some good people and I have made a full recovery."

Lennon realises the seriousness of the situation for the Irish side on tomorrow. Defeat by the Ukraine in the opening qualifier was a bitter pill for Lennon and his team-mates to swallow.

"There will be no excuses if we lose this one," he said. "A victory is the only result that will do. We need to get back to the form we showed against Austria a year ago and bang in a few goals."

Southampton midfielder Jim Magilton only took part in the tight training session yesterday at Ballymena's ground after picking up a knee injury.

Liechtenstein's coach, Dietr Weise, named just one full-time player, Basle midfielder Mario Frick, in the squad for their group eight World Cup qualifier against Lithuania next week.

Liechtenstein be looking for their first point and goal after being beaten 3-0 by Macedonia and 5-0 by Ireland.

Lithuania, beaten 3-0 by Romania in their opening qualifier, play Iceland in another group eight match on tomorrow before meeting Liechtenstein in Vilnius on October 9th,