Clubs and UEFA agree to drop August friendlies

Warsaw: Europe’s leading soccer clubs hailed a ‘major breakthrough’ on Tuesday after agreeing with UEFA to drop the unpopular August date for international friendlies. European Clubs Association chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, in an address to the ECA’s general assembly in Warsaw, said an agreement had been reached with the European governing body over the removal of the date. However the German warned that world body FIFA have yet to sanction it and the situation on that front remained unsatisfactory. Further changes mean that the international calendar will be made up of nine double-headers covering a two-year period with no single friendlies. [caption id=“attachment_228380” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=" Europe’s leading soccer clubs hailed a ‘major breakthrough’ on Tuesday after agreeing with UEFA to drop the unpopular August date for international friendlies. Reuters"] [/caption] In a new Memorandum of Understanding between UEFA and the clubs, they also agreed the two matches of the double-date for friendlies should be played on the same continent. In future the final tournaments of all confederations shall end mid-July, and players would not be expected to play in more than one international tournament a year. The ECA, comprising Europe’s top 201 clubs, also reached agreement over insurance payments for players injured while on international duty starting at Euro 2012. It agreed an increase in benefits from UEFA for clubs whose players are involved in Euro 2012 and Euro 2016. At the moment that fund stands at 55 million euros and the future increases will be announced at the UEFA Congress in Istanbul next month. With so many more African players now with European clubs, it was agreed that the Africa Cup of Nations should start as early in January as possible when it is staged. Rummenigge said the agreement was “a major break-through for European club football. “With this agreement, UEFA clearly recognises the importance of clubs and the significant contribution they make to the success of national team football,” he added. “The negotiations have not always proved easy, but were always conducted in a fair and respectful manner. “I sincerely thank UEFA, in particular UEFA President (Michel) Platini, on behalf of all European clubs and look forward to our continued cooperation. This is once more a proof that in the European football family solutions can be found in a cooperative and fair way.” However, the German said problems remained with FIFA: “Unfortunately, discussions with the FIFA president have failed to lead to a satisfactory outcome which takes account of the clubs’ demands.” The new Memorandum starts on June 1 and runs until May 30 2018 and also includes a new clause with clubs having a “Referral Right” on all decisions affecting club football. No decision relating to club football will be taken without the consent of the clubs, both sides agreed. Reuters