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PARIS (Reuters) - UEFA is prepared to discuss plans from European teams to create a continental league to replace the Champions League and UEFA Cup, its president Michel Platini was quoted as saying on Tuesday.
The European Club Association (ECA), which represents 137 leading teams such as Manchester United and Real Madrid, talked about a "Super League" during a meeting last week in Nyon, Switzerland, France Football reported.
Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport said the project also had some backing from within UEFA.
The Super League would be made up of three divisions with 20 to 22 clubs in each tier, the two newspapers said. Promotion and relegation would occur between the divisions each season.
"Everybody knows my philosophy about European competitions...but the world is changing and we must be careful about that," Platini told France Football.
"If it was up to me, I would revert to European Cups as they were at the beginning, with just knockout rounds. But we must listen carefully to any suggestion. If (clubs) come and talk to us, we would listen to them and then decide."
Gazzetta said the global economic crisis had prompted the often-mooted Super League idea to resurface but gave no indication over when advocates wanted the tournament to start.
European domestic leagues would remain if a Super League ever got the go-ahead, Gazzetta said, but the number of matches in individual championships would have to be reduced so that top clubs could play in both competitions.
The UEFA Cup is being rebranded as the Europa League next season.
The European Club Association (ECA), which represents 137 leading teams such as Manchester United and Real Madrid, talked about a "Super League" during a meeting last week in Nyon, Switzerland, France Football reported.
Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport said the project also had some backing from within UEFA.
The Super League would be made up of three divisions with 20 to 22 clubs in each tier, the two newspapers said. Promotion and relegation would occur between the divisions each season.
"Everybody knows my philosophy about European competitions...but the world is changing and we must be careful about that," Platini told France Football.
"If it was up to me, I would revert to European Cups as they were at the beginning, with just knockout rounds. But we must listen carefully to any suggestion. If (clubs) come and talk to us, we would listen to them and then decide."
Gazzetta said the global economic crisis had prompted the often-mooted Super League idea to resurface but gave no indication over when advocates wanted the tournament to start.
European domestic leagues would remain if a Super League ever got the go-ahead, Gazzetta said, but the number of matches in individual championships would have to be reduced so that top clubs could play in both competitions.
The UEFA Cup is being rebranded as the Europa League next season.