UEFA acts on overkill claims

UEFA is to scrap the second group phase of the Champions League in a year's time due to concern over player burn-out and television overkill.

European football's governing body rubber-stamped the decision yesterday, despite opposition from leading clubs such as Manchester United.

From the 2003/2004 season, the Champions League will continue to have 32 clubs in a first-round league format with eight groups of four but will then go straight into a last-16 two-leg knockout system.

UEFA president Lennart Johansson said talks with medical experts at the World Cup and fears about oversaturated TV coverage had prompted the change.

He said: ''The medical commission and the team doctors we talked to said there were too many injuries in the World Cup because the players were worn out.

''The top players play in their national team, in the league, in the cup, in qualifying matches for the World Cup. It was too much and that was perhaps the main reason why so many players of that category were injured or at least in bad shape.''

Johansson admitted too many group games, especially in circumstances where nothing is at stake, were a turn-off for fans and television viewers, and this season's Champions League will be the last with the two-group system introduced in 1999-2000.

He said: ''Football always has its attraction for television but we should not overdo it. We have found out that many people think there are too many matches.

''This is a flagship competition and we have reason to believe that this new format is attractive to the broadcasters.

''We also have talked to over 100 clubs from each and every country and they have gradually changed their minds. We have to do something that is of benefit to the majority.''

How the new format will affect the income of those clubs taking part remains to be seen as UEFA have yet to decide on the distribution of the income. Negotiations will now start with television companies for Champions League rights for the three years from 2003-4, and these will prove crucial to the financial implications.

The move will avoid games such as that between Deportivo La Coruna and Bayer Leverkusen in the second group phase last season. La Coruna had already qualified for the quarter-finals, and put in a limp performance in the game in Spain. The German side won 3-1 and qualified at group rivals Arsenal's expense, leaving Gunners manager Arsene Wenger seething.

Under the new system, the two sides making it to the Champions League final will play 13 games rather than 17. Leading clubs, including Manchester United, had wanted to maintain the status quo, worried any change might affect the cash going into their coffers.

It is understood United's chief executive Peter Kenyon made his club's feelings known at the first meeting of UEFA's club forum on Tuesday, at which he was elected vice-chairman of the new body.

However, others such as Bayern Munich president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge were in favour of slimming down the competition.

The fine print has still to be decided, but UEFA confirmed their intention to continue with Champions League games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and perhaps play UEFA Cup games on alternate weeks. Changes to the UEFA Cup will be announced in December.

FA vice-chairman David Dein has revealed the first steps towards a winter break in the Premiership season.