Kieran Maguire: Tottenham ecstatic as Uefa U-turn could provide ‘£150m’ boost
Tottenham will be delighted that Uefa plans to award additional spaces in the Champions League based on a league-specific coefficient system.
That is the view of finance guru Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about Uefa’s plans for their flagship competition after a format change in 2024.
Uefa had intended to hand out two extra places in the Champions League according to clubs’ 10-year coefficients.
But critics argued that this would represent an unwarranted insurance policy for underperforming so-called ‘big’ clubs.
The Times reported on Tuesday (10 May) Uefa will instead award an extra spot based on a country’s performance in the competition, which would likely lead to a fifth team qualifying from the Premier League.
Spurs remain in the hunt for a top-four spot this season but finished outside the Champions League places in 2019-20 and 2020-21.
Maguire highlighted the fact that teams can earn up to £150million from the competition and insisted Spurs will be pleased to hear the news from Uefa.
“It is a backstop for the likes of Spurs,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“Qualifying for the group stages of the Champions League generates more money than winning the Europa League, and the upper limit is £150m.
“We can argue about the fairness of it but this is why Tottenham would understandably be so keen to have these insurance options in place.”
Antonio Conte’s side beat Burnley 1-0 on Sunday (15 May).
They need Arsenal to drop points in one of their last two games to qualify for the Champions League.
In other news, pundit claims Antonio Conte will be thrilled with Heung-min Son reaction as Tottenham footage emerges.