Europa Conference League. | Vital Football

Europa Conference League.

I couldn't imagine a full season with the frequency of games we've had in the last 4 or 5 weeks. Not a chance we could keep our squad happy regardless of whether they are youngsters or experienced pros.

With a good rotation policy and fast tracking some younger players, this comp could be fun.

I'd love to play against some home nations teams.
 
Whether you like this idea or not our squad will need the games to keep everyone happy next season.

Some suggest playing the youngsters but I’d rather they go out on loan playing league one/championship football rather than in this comp next season.

Look at the exposure Eyoma has had at Lincoln this year (great experience)

Let’s go out the win this thing, we need to have an attitude change at our club. Every competition should be played to win, pure and simple.

Success breeds success.

Accept nothing less than 100% effort in every game, from every player, in every competition and I’ll be a happy man.
 
I will put it simply, being a simple geezer lol!, am chuffed we are in it, lowly as it might seem/stand to some, as/if we are starting again coach/squad/team etc then this lowly Europa thing is only the beginning, the place to start, plus there are some good sides in it, so lets go all out to win it.
 
I will put it simply, being a simple geezer lol!, am chuffed we are in it, lowly as it might seem/stand to some, as/if we are starting again coach/squad/team etc then this lowly Europa thing is only the beginning, the place to start, plus there are some good sides in it, so lets go all out to win it.

There are some well known sides in it plus drop downs from the Europa later on if my understanding is correct.
 
There are some well known sides in it plus drop downs from the Europa later on if my understanding is correct.

Nick it occurs to me that we should have a dedicated Europa conference league thread i.e. team profiles of opponents etc, match reports, player ratings, draws etc - all in one thread - how about you own this one?

@USAFSPURS - would you give Nick a hand with content and running this one?
 
It's an embarrassment we are in it, even if we go on to win it we will be butt of all jokes (and rightly so)

The only way we save face is if we literally play the youth team all the way to the final.

That way we can finally fully focus on the PL (for the first time in god knows how many years) and if/when we get knocked out we ain't looking like complete jokes lol

Would be a great experience for the youngsters, I'd stick half a dozen squad players in there as well to help them.
 
UEFA Europa Conference League: all you need to know

Thursday 3 December 2020


All you need to know about UEFA's new club competition launching in 2021/22.


logo_20201203162705.jpg


The new UEFA Europa Conference League logo UEFA

There will be a third season-long UEFA men's football club competition for the first time in more than 20 years next season when the UEFA Europa Conference League begins. We explain who will be involved and when games will be played.
Who enters the UEFA Europa Conference League?
In all, 184 teams will be involved over the course of the season including at least one from each of the 55 associations and 46 clubs transferring from either the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League.

Before the group stage there will be three qualifying rounds and a play-off round (split into a main path, and a champions path for those transferring from the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League champions path). The access list explains which teams (including some national cup winners) enter from which associations and in which rounds, as well as how clubs transfer from the other competitions.
uecl.jpg.jpeg


Access list
No teams qualify directly for the group stage, with the 32 teams consisting of:
• 17 teams from the UEFA Europa Conference League main path
• 5 teams from the UEFA Europa Conference League champions path
• 10 teams eliminated in the UEFA Europa League play-offs
How will it work?
There will be eight groups of four teams, followed by knockout round play-offs, the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.
The eight group winners automatically go through to the last 16. Additional knockout round play-offs will then be played before the round of 16 between the eight group runners-up and the third-ranked teams of the UEFA Europa League groups.
First final: Tirana
The 21,690-capacity National Arena (Arena Kombëtare) will stage the first final on 25 May 2022, as announced by the UEFA Executive Committee on 3 December 2020. The stadium opened in November 2019 with a European Qualifier between Albania and France. It was built, with the help of UEFA’s HatTrick assistance programme, on the site of the former Qemal Stafa Stadium in the centre of the Albanian capital.
When are the games?
The UEFA Europa Conference League fixtures will take place on Thursdays along with UEFA Europa League games (though the final in Tirana will be a week after the UEFA Europa League final in Sevilla on 18 May 2022). The matches of the two competitions will in principle be equally split between the two time slots: 18:45 CET (no longer 18:55) and 21:00 CET.
albania_v_france_-_uefa_euro_2020_qualifier.jpeg


National Arena, Tirana will stage the first final in 2022UEFA via Getty Images
First qualifying round draw: 15 June
Second qualifying round draw: 16 June
First qualifying round: 8 & 15 July
Third qualifying round draw: 19 July
Second qualifying round: 22 & 29 July
Play-off round draw: 2 August
Third qualifying round: 5 & 12 August
Play-offs: 19 & 26 August
Group stage draw: 27 August
Group stage: 16 & 30 September, 21 October, 4 & 25 November, 9 December
Knockout round play-off draw: 13 December
Knockout round play-offs: 17 & 24 February
Round of 16 draw: 25 February
Round of 16: 10 & 17 March
Quarter-finals & Semi-final draw: 18 March
Quarter-finals: 7 & 14 April
Semi-finals: 28 April & 5 May
Final: 25 May (National Arena, Tirana)
The competition will run throughout the 2021–2024 cycle at least.
What do the winners get?
The winner will gain a place in the following season's UEFA Europa League group stage if they have not qualified for the UEFA Champions League via their domestic competition.
Why is it being introduced?

The new structure for UEFA club competitions will ensure that at least 34 UEFA national associations are represented in the group stage of one or more competitions.
There will be a minimum of 14 domestic champions in the UEFA Champions League group stage, between eight and 11 domestic champions in the UEFA Europa League group stage, and between nine and 12 domestic champions in the UEFA Europa Conference League group stage. All member associations will have access to all three club competitions, and all associations' quotas will remain unchanged.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin said: "The new UEFA club competition makes UEFA's club competitions more inclusive than ever before. There will be more matches for more clubs, with more associations represented in the group stages."
Will it impact the other competitions?
The introduction of the UEFA Europa Conference League will have no impact on the UEFA Champions League. However, the UEFA Europa League group stage will be reduced from 48 to 32 teams – eight groups of four.
The eight UEFA Europa League group winners progress automatically to the round of 16. There will also be additional knockout round play-offs prior to the UEFA Europa League round of 16; these will be between the eight UEFA Europa League group runners-up and the eight third-ranked teams of the UEFA Champions League groups.
The UEFA Europa League access list will also change accordingly, with the previous season's UEFA Europa Conference League winners joined in the group stage by 11 teams who qualify directly via their domestic associations. Additionally, ten teams will come through UEFA Europa League qualifying and a further ten from UEFA Champions League qualifying.
 
The money: 235 million among its 32 participants. Almost €3 million goes to whoever makes it through to the group stage. Each win gives €500,000 and a draw €166,000.

Top spot in the group stage is worth €650,000 and second place €325,000. L'Equipe reports that there will €8.9 million going to the winner and a place at the group stage of next years Europa Cup, assuming that a club hasn't qualified for the Champions league.

As there will be fewer places available for the Europa next year - that's a nice prize.
 
The money: 235 million among its 32 participants. Almost €3 million goes to whoever makes it through to the group stage. Each win gives €500,000 and a draw €166,000.

Top spot in the group stage is worth €650,000 and second place €325,000. L'Equipe reports that there will €8.9 million going to the winner and a place at the group stage of next years Europa Cup, assuming that a club hasn't qualified for the Champions league.

As there will be fewer places available for the Europa next year - that's a nice prize.

Where's UEFA putting the rest of the half a billion they're getting from the broadcasting rights? :LOL:
 
Nick it occurs to me that we should have a dedicated Europa conference league thread i.e. team profiles of opponents etc, match reports, player ratings, draws etc - all in one thread - how about you own this one?

@USAFSPURS - would you give Nick a hand with content and running this one?

Sorry Ex I am not qualified to run a European football thread. I dont follow that area of football. There are some on here that do though and mention players I have never heard of !! They would be better suited to a dedicated thread.
I will continue with the ratings compilation next season for sure.
 
Sorry Ex I am not qualified to run a European football thread. I dont follow that area of football. There are some on here that do though and mention players I have never heard of !! They would be better suited to a dedicated thread.
I will continue with the ratings compilation next season for sure.

Who are you thinking of Nick?
 
Where's UEFA putting the rest of the half a billion they're getting from the broadcasting rights? :LOL:

They've got to pay a living wage you know...average salary at UEFA is around 230,000 euro's p.a.

see what these people earn - incredible really:


The following section discloses details on compensation governance as well as information on compensation to the UEFA president, the UEFA general secretary and the members of the UEFA Executive Committee for the 2018/19 financial year.The Compensation Committee was created in September 2016 by decision of the Executive Committee. It is independent of the Executive Committee and the UEFA Congress and ensures a compensation system is in place that is designed and operated in line with sound performance management, compliance and corporate governance principles.Authorities and responsibilities The Compensation Committee oversees all aspects of compensation of the UEFA president, the UEFA general secretary and the members of the Executive Committee, as well as of the directors of UEFA and UEFA Events SA and any other individuals whom the Compensation Committee deems it appropriate to cover in accordance with the powers and duties assigned to it by its charter.Composition and organisationThe Compensation Committee is chaired by the UEFA treasurer and Finance Committee chairman, David Gill. The other members of the Compensation Committee during the period under review were Herbert Hübel and José Juan Pintó Sala (independent), both members of the Governance and Compliance Committee, as well as Stephan Hostettler, as another independent member without voting rights. He is a managing partner of HCM International Ltd, a leading international consulting firm, and an expert in the areas of compensation, governance and compliance. The Compensation Committee met four times during the 2018/19 financial year. One of its key objectives during that period was to revisit UEFA’s compensation strategy in order to properly take into account UEFA’s organisational changes, current and future talent needs, and the increasing demands of its business strategy. With UEFA aiming to remain a pre-eminent sports organisation with increasing global reach, the Compensation Committee, based on an independent review of compensation in various markets, devised a pay strategy designed to allow UEFA to stay competitive for top international executive talent and talent in highly skilled areas. The insights gained also allowed the committee to make appropriate and necessary adjustments to the compensation levels.

PresidentAleksander Čeferin was re-elected as UEFA president at the Ordinary UEFA Congress in Rome on 7 February 2019 for a four-year term. For 2018/19, the UEFA president received fixed compensation of CHF 1,921,667 gross. The UEFA president is not eligible for any bonus.

UEFA contributes to his social charges, pension fund and accident insurance.



General secretary Theodore Theodoridis was appointed by the Executive Committee as UEFA general secretary on 15 September 2016. For 2018/19 he received fixed compensation of CHF 1,175,000 gross. He was awarded a bonus of CHF 355,000. UEFA contributes to his social charges, pension fund and accident insurance, and also pays him a representation allowance and school fees for his children’s education.

Executive Committee The members of the Executive Committee receive a fixed compensation amount and are not eligible for a bonus. Vice-presidents receive €250,000 gross and other members receive €160,000 gross a year.
 
Last edited:
They've got to pay a living wage you know...average salary at UEFA is around 230,000 euro's p.a.

see what these people earn - incredible really:


The following section discloses details on compensation governance as well as information on compensation to the UEFA president, the UEFA general secretary and the members of the UEFA Executive Committee for the 2018/19 financial year.The Compensation Committee was created in September 2016 by decision of the Executive Committee. It is independent of the Executive Committee and the UEFA Congress and ensures a compensation system is in place that is designed and operated in line with sound performance management, compliance and corporate governance principles.Authorities and responsibilities The Compensation Committee oversees all aspects of compensation of the UEFA president, the UEFA general secretary and the members of the Executive Committee, as well as of the directors of UEFA and UEFA Events SA and any other individuals whom the Compensation Committee deems it appropriate to cover in accordance with the powers and duties assigned to it by its charter.Composition and organisationThe Compensation Committee is chaired by the UEFA treasurer and Finance Committee chairman, David Gill. The other members of the Compensation Committee during the period under review were Herbert Hübel and José Juan Pintó Sala (independent), both members of the Governance and Compliance Committee, as well as Stephan Hostettler, as another independent member without voting rights. He is a managing partner of HCM International Ltd, a leading international consulting firm, and an expert in the areas of compensation, governance and compliance. The Compensation Committee met four times during the 2018/19 financial year. One of its key objectives during that period was to revisit UEFA’s compensation strategy in order to properly take into account UEFA’s organisational changes, current and future talent needs, and the increasing demands of its business strategy. With UEFA aiming to remain a pre-eminent sports organisation with increasing global reach, the Compensation Committee, based on an independent review of compensation in various markets, devised a pay strategy designed to allow UEFA to stay competitive for top international executive talent and talent in highly skilled areas. The insights gained also allowed the committee to make appropriate and necessary adjustments to the compensation levels.

PresidentAleksander Čeferin was re-elected as UEFA president at the Ordinary UEFA Congress in Rome on 7 February 2019 for a four-year term. For 2018/19, the UEFA president received fixed compensation of CHF 1,921,667 gross. The UEFA president is not eligible for any bonus.

UEFA contributes to his social charges, pension fund and accident insurance.



General secretary Theodore Theodoridis was appointed by the Executive Committee as UEFA general secretary on 15 September 2016. For 2018/19 he received fixed compensation of CHF 1,175,000 gross. He was awarded a bonus of CHF 355,000. UEFA contributes to his social charges, pension fund and accident insurance, and also pays him a representation allowance and school fees for his children’s education.

Executive Committee The members of the Executive Committee receive a fixed compensation amount and are not eligible for a bonus. Vice-presidents receive €250,000 gross and other members receive €160,000 gross a year.
So lining their pockets nicely then! corrupt bastards!
 
Anyone see this today? (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57254818)

Chelsea return more than 800 unsold Champions League final tickets

Chelsea have returned more than 800 unsold tickets for the Champions League final with Manchester City in Porto.

The Blues were given 5,800 tickets by Uefa for Saturday's game and there was a high demand for 2,800 tickets which were sold with independent travel.
However, the unsold tickets were part of a charter package, which included subsidised flights at £200.

Chelsea Supporter Trust board member Dan Silver said: "Uefa's lack of care for fans has again come to the fore."

He added: "They came to be our friends over the European Super League but now they have turned their backs on us again.

"Uefa's insistence on having charter flights - initially linked to 90% of tickets, which the clubs pushed back on - spending only 24 hours in Portugal with added Covid testing and additional costs have made it very prohibitive.

"Selling tickets for up to 400 euros for a limited access final with unnecessary travel is outrageous when there were obvious solutions closer to home."

A capacity of 16,500 has been confirmed for the 50,000-capacity Dragao Stadium.

Uefa has been criticised for its pricing policy. Tickets start at 70 euros (£60.50) and rise to 400 euros (£346).

However, European football's governing body is facing some huge financial challenges.

It is estimated Uefa's pre-Covid reserves of 500m euros (£432.64m) will have shrunk to just over 100m euros (£86.53m) by 2023.

That financial impact is a direct result of the costs incurred in moving the European Championship back by a year - resulting in rebates to broadcasters and sponsors and refunds to ticket holders, plus the cost of Covid testing and mitigation measures for the rescheduled tournament.

It explains why Uefa was so keen to get both their prestige club finals played in front of fans and get commitments from Euro 2020 venues about supporter numbers.