New Champions League format in doubt after extra places row

The proposed Champions League revamp has been put in doubt after arguments over who gets the additional qualifying spots.

UEFA have been seeking to overhaul Europe’s biggest club competition, in plans that will expand the tournament from 32 teams to 36, and add an extra 100 fixtures to the calendar.

The new plans would also change the group stage entirely, adopting the ‘Swiss system’ first used in a Zurich chess tournament over a century ago. The system has never been adopted in football before, but European Clubs Association Chairman Andrea Agnelli has described it as his “ideal Champions League”.

However, the proposals have hit a stumbling block, with the main point of contention being the…