New UEFA President Elected

The Phantom

Former France captain Michel Platini has been elected as Uefa's new president, ahead of rival Lennart Johansson after a vote in Dusseldorf.
Johansson, 77, has held the post for the last 16 years.

Platini wants to limit the number of Champions League places to three per country, rather than the current four.

"This is just the beginning of an adventure. I'm happy to be able to represent European football. I'm very moved and very happy, When I was a footballer, when you won a great victory you received a cup and went on a lap of honour. This is a great victory for me but I'm not going to do a lap of honour because now the work starts." Said Platini

The election result was close - had Platini won two fewer votes he would not have achieved an absolute majority of the 50 valid votes and a second ballot would have been held.

The 52 members who now comprise the European confederation, the richest and most influential in world football, decided on the outcome in a secret ballot.

Platini immediately invited Johansson to become an honorary president of Uefa.

The 51-year-old former France star said: "This is a great victory but I have huge admiration for Lennart and I would ask for Lennart Johansson to become an honorary president of Uefa."

Johansson was given a standing ovation by the delegates at the invitation of Platini.

The Swede was openly against Platini's proposed changes to the Champions League.

Johansson said: "I don't want to be impolite to a colleague on the executive committee. I've already asked him why he wants to introduce changes to this success story.

"The Champions League is covered by numerous television stations around the world and there are a lot of sports that are trying to copy it.

"The future is his but he has to learn and gain in experience."

Tyler Durden

Well done to him.

I've no qualms against his Champions League proposal, so long as his proposal that Italy, England, Spain lose a Champions League place is also relevant to others like France and Portugal for example who should likewise drop from 3 to 2 places to allow this greater spread of Euro nations.

Democracy starts at home Michel.

God

Super Moderator

very bad idea. the other countries get places in the qualifying rounds just like 3rd and 4th place do. some teams only have to play two matches to get to the finals and many fail to do even that.

with his proposal you could end up with
champions of romania
runners up of slovakia
champions of malta
barcelona

thats 18 pts to barca with no goals conceded. id rather a fourth team from england etc has the chance to qualify rather than another team from cyprus or something.