Platini wants Euro place for Cup

Uefa president Michel Platini is set to propose a shake-up of Champions League qualification in England by handing a place to the FA Cup winners.

Under new proposals, the Cup winners - rather than the team that finishes fourth in the Premier League - would go into Europe's elite cup competition.

It comes after Platini's plan to reduce qualification spots for any one country from four to three was rejected.

However, this proposal could be viewed as a compromise.

The plans will be unveiled by Platini next week, before the group stage of the Champions League gets underway.

And BBC Sport understands such a proposal would receive the support of the Football Association, who would be keen to increase the value of the FA Cup.

The plans would also be backed by the Italian FA, though Uefa's new strategic forum, made up of clubs, leagues and players unions, would be less favourably inclined suggesting there would be a lot of debate to come.

Suggestions that it would help break the monopoly of Champions League qualification among England's 'top four' appear unfounded, however, with one of Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool winning all but two of the last 19 FA Cup competitions.

Source: BBC Sport