Europa League winners to get Champions League place

Uefa are set to award a place in the Champions League to the winners of the Europa League from the 2014/’15 season, to make the competition more attractive, with an announcement expected today.

Other plans being considered include whether to award a fifth Champions League place to clubs in the big European leagues and to expand the number of Europa League places on offer.

Also teams who win the Champions League or Europa League but finish outside the qualifying places in their domestic campaign will no longer usurp one of their league rivals to take up their place the following season. That means the fate that befell Tottenham Hotspur in 2011/’12, when they missed out on Europe despite finishing fourth because Chelsea won the Champions League and finished sixth, would not happen again. Instead, England would now have five representatives.

The new rules are expected to be ratified by the Uefa Congress in London today and will apply from 2014/’15.

In the scenario that teams from the same country win the Champions League and the Europa League, also expected to confer Champions League qualification from 2015, yet finish outside the top four then a total of five clubs will be permitted – the top three plus both European champions.

10-match ban
The European governing body has also confirmed that any player or official disciplined for racism in one of its competitions will receive a minimum 10-match ban.

The FA announced last week that it would bring in a minimum five-match ban for racism on the field of play, although it stressed that it was a “floor” and punishments could be much higher. Uefa, which has been under pressure to take a tougher line on racism in the wake of a string of contentious incidents, said discriminatory behaviour by players or officials would attract a minimum 10-match ban.

Racism in the stands will lead to a partial stadium closure for a first offence followed by a full stadium closure for repeat offenders. The measures will be put before Uefa’s Congress for ratification today, together with a resolution that national associations adopt the “same or similar” sanctions.

The new sanctions will take effect from June 1st this year, so will apply to the European Under-21 Championship in Israel and all Uefa club competitions from next season.

Uefa’s executive committee, meeting in London ahead of the Champions League final, also announced it was removing any statute of limitations on investigation of match-fixing cases, to allow historic cases to be examined, and unveiled new anti-doping measures.

It will use the steroid profiles of 900 players who have played in Uefa competitions since 1998 as the basis of a retrospective study, which will be conducted anonymously but potentially used as the basis of a new biological passport scheme.

It will also introduce blood tests to all its competitions for the first time, putting the number that will be conducted next season at "a few hundred".

Ferdinand signs deal
Rio Ferdinand has signed a new one-year contract at Manchester United. The centre-back, who was out of contract in the summer, has made 432 appearances since his United debut in 2002 and won his sixth Premier League medal with the club this season.

Incoming United manager David Moyes told the club’s official website that it is “clear for everyone to see that Rio has had one of his best seasons with the club and I think even from the outside you can see what a big character Rio is around the dressingroom, so I am delighted he has signed a new contract and I am looking forward to working with him.”

Neil Lennon has been given a one-game suspended touchline ban and will be free to be in the dugout for Celtic's Scottish Cup final against Hibernian at Hampden Park on Sunday. The Celtic manager was found guilty by the Scottish FA of entering the "playing zone" within 15 minutes of the final whistle of Celtic's 3-1 league defeat by Motherwell last month while serving a three-match touchline ban.
Guardian Service