UEFA to turn UCL into weekend competition from quarters

UEFA have reportedly began plans to turn the crunch knock-out phase of the Champions League into a weekend competition which is set to cause uproar with Premier League bosses.
Under the proposals being discussed at the highest Uefa levels, matches in the competition would be played on Saturday afternoons from the last eight stage onwards starting in 2021.

Uefa bigwigs and club bosses believe the change from midweek games to midweek fixtures for the most high-profile matches would see a huge rise in global TV revenues.
Afternoon kick-offs in Europe would allow live screening in the evening in Asia and the morning in North America, allowing the maximum worldwide reach.

But the idea of potentially disrupting domestic fixtures for the biggest clubs throughout April will meet sustained opposition from Premier League boss Richard Scudamore in particular.

Sources in France claim Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona have signalled their support for the concept, which would come into effect from the start of the next three-year Champions League TV deal which will start for the 2020-21 season.

The plans envisage all four quarter-final games being played on the same day, with a week between the two legs as is currently the case. After a free weekend, the semi-finals would also be played on back to back weekends.

At this stage it is suggested all the games would be played on a Saturday but it is possible they could be spread over the weekend, with games on the Sunday as well.

Negotiations, driven by Uefa chiefs are set to begin in the coming weeks. But the idea of such total chaos during the busiest part of the end of season run-in will cause fury from Prem chiefs, who try to avoid midweek dates as far as possible because of their own worldwide TV deals.

Domestic leagues are also banned from broadcasting matches between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on a Saturday, meaning any change Champions League fixtures could damage those rules, which have been in place for over 50 years.