Spain and Italy want to change the Champions League so they can make Premier League money

Spanish and Italian football clubs are requesting format changes to the
Champions League in order to financially compete with the English
Premier League, according to the Financial Times.
The clubs want more games between the continent's "heavyweight"
teams, which would increase matchday revenues and commercial
prospects. Currently, the Champions League follows a similar format to the World Cup, in which groups of four teams play each other, with only the top two of each group progressing.
Proposals for new format include an early knockout stage of 16 seeded
teams playing against another 16 — which would result in 16 games for each team. The eventual winners would go on to play in two groups of eight. A "wild card" setup has also been mooted, which would allow historically successful Champions League teams instant entry — a format that would have benefited Manchester United and AC Milan who failed to qualify for the competition this season.
However Alberto Colombo, the deputy general secretary of European
Professional Football Leagues, said it would probably oppose any
measures that grant entry to teams for any reason other than sporting
merit, adding "It’s a matter of keeping the dream alive for any club that’s doing well on the pitch,” the Financial Times reports.
Champions League participation is a hugely lucrative source of income for clubs. Teams who qualify make at least €8.6 (£6.5 million; $9.6 million), while winning the tournament is worth €27 million (£21
million; $30 million) in prize money and potentially far more in
commercial deals. But the Premier League is by far the most valuable football division in the world, with a recent KPMG report suggesting that 5 of the top 10 most valuable clubs in the world are English.
It received a huge financial boost when Sky and BT began competing for broadcast rights, resulting in an eventual price tag of €2.4 billion (£1.8 billion; $2.7 billion) per season.
Spain, meanwhile, has two of the biggest teams in the world in Real
Madrid and FC Barcelona, but the collective value of the teams in La
Liga are said to be worth less than half of those in the Premiership. It can take solace in the fact that two of its teams — Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid — are playing in the Champions League final on Saturday.

Cristiano Ronaldo: Champions league Win Would Eclipse Barca Double

In an interview given to a Spanish TV, Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo claimed that he would take the Champions League title over Barcelona's league and Copa double any day - "I'm not bothered by Barca's double, not at all. I know that if we win the Champions League it's worth more than the double - there are amazing players that have never won it and it's a dream". He also admitted that he was annoyed at not being able to win the Pichichi - "It's obvious that it annoyed me not to win but I wasn't obsessed". He also had this to say when asked about Pique imitating him during Barca's title winning celebrations - "Whenever people are celebrating, they remember Cristiano Ronaldo. I'm always there but there won't be a problem when I play against Pique again".

Paul pogba names four legends he wants to emulate

The Juventus star says he wants to combine the best of the game's greatest players to become a new type of player and admits he has "done nothing" in football so far…

I want to be Messi, Ronaldo, Zidane and Vieira all in one

Pogba wants to take the best qualities of the game's greatest in order to become a new kind of supermidfielder.

Pogba said
"I want to become the complete player," Pogba told ESPN. "I want to do everything: defend, attack, score, give assists, tackle, win back the ball. Be a leader on the field. "I want to become a new midfielder. From defensive midfielder to attacking midfielder to attacker. I want to take the qualities from everyone.

"Cristiano, Ronaldinho, Messi, everyone. Andres Iniesta. I'm serious. All players rolled into one. I'd like to get to the level where I have everything: Patrick Vieira, Didier Deschamps, Zidane, Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry, Ronaldo. It wouldn't be bad, that.

"I've already scored goals, given decisive passes, won back balls. It's really just about raising the level."

Despite currently residing with Juve and having dominated Italian football, a humble Pogba says he is a way off reaching his best.

"I don't think I am a great; I think I've done nothing. I've done nothing in soccer," the 23-year-old added.
"I've won leagues, but I haven't won the Champions League, the World Cup, the Euros. Winning Euro 2016 in France, that wouldn't be bad. "I want to work, to be a great, to win everything."

Real madrid one point behind Barcelona - zidane still optimistic

After Atletico Madrid slipped up at Levante, its now one point separating Barcelona and Real madrid on the la liga table currently.

Zidane's team earned a 3-2 victory over Valencia at the Santiago
Bernabeu - earned by a Cristiano Ronaldo brace and a goal from the returning Karim Benzema .

Though the majority held strong doubts in zinedine zidane's appointment as the main man for the Real madrid's top job, he has proved beyond doubts, Madrid is still in the league race and now in the uefa champions league final quite a comforting zone to the Real Madrid fans.


Madrid head to Deportivo La Coruna on the final day while Barca visit Granada, who made sure they will remain in Spain's top flight with an excellent 4-1 win at Sevilla.


The Frenchman told his post-match media conference: "We have to continue building up points and hope Granada do well in their game. We'll do what we can to win our game.

"Now we are second, there's one game left and anything could happen- you never know in football. We have to be aware of
that fight until the final whistle. "But the first thing we have to do is make sure we win our game - it won't be easy, we know that."

LOSING LA LIGA WOULD BE A FAILURE - PIQUE

Before the El clasico second leg [the match between Real madrid and Barcelona] Fc Barcelona had an imposing lead on the la liga log with nine points ahead of the second placed Atletico madrid.

Piqué in action for Spain in 2013 with FC Barcelona teammate Neymar.

 Gerard Pique admitted that Barcelona's season would be a failure if they did the likely possible and lost their La Liga title.

 Barcelona who were also eliminated from the Champions League by Atletico at the quarter-final stage and currently looking at La liga as there biggest hope of success this season and they are more than willing to fight and secure the la liga trophy.

 The spanish defender also explained his downturn in form, but said even the best sides have off-days.

 "It is normal to have potholes throughout the year but we had bad luck that they have arrived at those crucial moments," Pique said.


 With Barcelona at 82 points, Atletico madrid 82 having a goal difference of 30 goals separating both sides and Real madrid at the edge with 81 points is Gerald pique right to be scared?