Paris Saint-Germain owner and president of the Association of European Clubs (ECA), Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, has unveiled his idea to revive interest in the Champions League and would like to set up an opening ceremony for the competition.
The 48-year-old executive stated his desire for the Champions League final to feel bigger than the Super Bowl, but with the talk of a Super League not going away, this is another hint at the European associations trying to stay ahead of that future problem.
Last week, the Qatari leader reaffirmed his opposition to the Super League project and since the start of the revolt against UEFA, led by Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona; he remains one of the main defenders of the organisation and the Champions League.
The PSG owner claimed via RMC Sport: “We don’t need this system,”
“Everyone is against it, from the fans to the media, passing through the clubs, the small and the big clubs.”
Speaking on modernising the Champions League, UEFA’s biggest club competition, Al-Khelaïfi revealed his ideas and thoughts in an interview with The Athletic, in which the PSG owner stated:
“I can’t understand how the Super Bowl (can feel) bigger than the Champions League final,” he explained.
“The Super Bowl, and the US generally, have this mindset, creativity and entertainment.
“That’s what I have suggested; to have an opening ceremony to the Champions League, to have one match on the opening night where the winners take on a big team — maybe it is not a good idea, but at least let’s challenge the status quo.
“Each match needs to be an event and entertainment.”
The Super League project has shown to really rattle the leaders of UEFA and the other European organisations since its announcement last April and they have been trying to come up with ideas and belittle it ever since.
The Champions League may need to modernise but it is sacred to football fans, who are mostly traditionalists. An opening ceremony may be fun to open up UEFA’s calendar but it is probably best to try it out first on the UEFA Super Cup.
Al-Khelaïfi’s statement, “To have one match on the opening night where the winners take on a big team”, sounds like the Super Cup anyway.