Should the winner of the Europa League get a CL qualifier place?

[barney15c]

Would clubs take the Europa League more seriously if there was a Champions League qualifier place at stake for the winner. As it stands the competition is like the Johnsons Paint Trophy of European Football, in that clubs can make a reasonable amount of money and get to play in Europe but ultimately its a bit of a tin-pot title.
Also the bias on the fact that Champions League teams that fail to get out of the qualifiers muscle into the Europa League effectively getting a bye whereas the other clubs had to play a number of qualifiers first. And that there is no upward route / reciprocal arrasngement for the winner of the EL. This seems one sided and unfair.
With Man City and Man Utd both failing to proceed into the CL proper, if 'the big clubs' were to fail on a consistant basis maybe the rules will be stretched so that a CL qualifting place is available for the EL winner.
what are the opinions of other Answerbank members? Would the influence of the big clubs make this scenario a possibility?

[rowanwitch]

sounds a good idea .so that means it will probably never happen

[mightyWBA]

Perhaps it would be more attractive if the old format of a European Cup for the Champions only,Cup Winners Cup and then the UEFA Cup for the 2nd,3rd and 4th placed sides came back.
There are plenty more countries in Europe now so the competitions could be a straight knockout.
The Europa League is far to long winded and the fact sides knocked out of the Champions League join in half way through it make it a farce.


Mind you it's all about money isn't it?..So I can't see it changing.
On the plus side it's never going to concern my club!

[ichkeria]

Most country's teams DO seem to take the Europe league seriously. It seems to be mainly the English teams that don't.
The best a winner of the Europa League could hope for is to get a CL qualifying tie, which in all probablilty they'd lose anyway.

In my opinion the way to improve the standing of the Europa League is to bin the ridiculous group stage, and make it a knock out only, and stop the rule where CL rejects get in to the last 32.
Thirdly, I'd restrict the CL to fewer teams per country and make it less of a junket for the wealthiest clubs, but that will never happen.