As Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur fight for a place in the Europa League final, Arsene Wenger has added fuel to the fire with his controversial stance on the current qualification rules.
The two Premier League giants head into their semi-final second legs with aggregate leads, but both are in desperate need of European glory, with neither expected to qualify through their domestic leagues.
United sits comfortably in mid-table, while Spurs are stuck in a similar situation, both far from the Champions League spots in the Premier League.
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The recent changes to the competition structure have had their share of debates.
In 2014, UEFA implemented a rule allowing Europa League winners to qualify for the following season’s Champions League, but Arsene Wenger believes this is not the right approach.
The former Arsenal manager, speaking to BeIN Sports, stated that winning the Europa League should not automatically guarantee entry into the Champions League, especially when five Premier League teams already secure qualification through league positions.
His argument is that the winners of the Europa League should be rewarded with a spot in the following season’s Europa League, but not the Champions League, a view that has sparked further debate across European football.
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While Wenger acknowledges the importance of keeping the Europa League competitive and motivating, he believes this automatic qualification for the Champions League needs to be reassessed.
Manchester United’s own experience of this rule came in 2018, when Jose Mourinho’s side won the Europa League but finished sixth in the Premier League, securing a Champions League spot the following season despite their league standing.
The policy has been met with mixed reactions, particularly as it could allow a lower-placed team to snatch away a coveted Champions League spot.
With the second leg of the semi-final approaching, both clubs are battling for a chance to lift the Europa League trophy, but Wenger’s remarks have highlighted an ongoing issue in the European competition structure, especially with both United and Spurs vying for a place in next season’s elite competition through this unconventional route.
