UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has ruled out playing Champions League matches outside the continent.
Sharjah 24 – Asaad Khalil:
Aleksander Ceferin, president of the European Football Association (UEFA), has closed the door to rumors that some Champions League matches will be held outside the continent.
Several reports had talked regarding a meeting of the Executive Committee in (UEFA), to study options for holding matches in the group stage in neutral regions, such as the United States of America, China and the Middle East.
These proposals came at a time when the tournament is preparing for a new change in its system starting from 2024, in which the group stage will be replaced by the league system.
But plans to hold matches outside Europe remain just talk, according to Ceferin, who closed the door to those proposals, during a press conference, today, Wednesday.
“With all due respect to the media, it’s impossible to imagine this kind of news, we never discussed it,” Ceferin explained.
“But suddenly we can read that in the media that it will happen, even if it has not been indicated, we go and ask UEFA directly.”
“I would have known that if there were any discussions regarding playing Champions League matches outside Europe, and I don’t know anything regarding that,” Ceferin said.