Against the back drop of changes to the competition the Champions League has returned after it’s winter break.
While in London for the match with Arsenal Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu put some bones on the rumours of an even more elitist competition including ‘wildcard’ entrants to ensure certain clubs place at the top table of the European game.
Although the current set is is heavily weighted in favour of certain countries there is still the theoretical prospect of the champions of Iceland or Luxembourg reaching the group stage.
According to some reports the door could be about to close on the champions of Scotland, Holland, Portugal and Belgium as the bigger nations ensure that they maximise television income.
“Sometimes, for the interest of football, why not give wildcards?,” Bartomeu asked.
“Like in tennis, sometimes the top players are not qualified and are given wildcards. For the interest of football it could be that a wildcard is given to a club. That’s not my decision of course, that is the decision of Uefa.
“Sometimes, you have a bad season and it is a very big punishment to not play in the Champions League that year. We need a stronger Champions League and more and more interest for the football fans and to make it more competitive.
“The Champions League is the biggest competition and most important one.”
After the European Clubs Association gathered last month to discuss possible reforms to the Champions League chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge admitted: “I believe both ECA and Uefa are interested in an evolution of the competitions.
“Stagnation means regression. We have always jointly looked into ways to further develop and improve the competitions. It is important to find a good and balanced solution for everyone involved.”
After the first leg ties in the round of 16 the competition has a very familiar look to it with Barcelona and Real Mardrid winning comfortably away from home against Arsenal and Roma.
With Bayern Munich drawing 2-2 away to Juventus three of the semi-finalists look as if they pick themselves with one other club breaking into the last four.
