Keane and Neville ‘agree’ with insane UEFA rule change to cost ‘back-door’ bandits Man Utd and Spurs

Football legends Roy Keane and Gary Neville have both thrown their support behind Arsène Wenger’s recent call for UEFA to reconsider a key regulation that could significantly impact Premier League sides—particularly Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. The former Arsenal manager believes the current rule awarding Champions League qualification to Europa League winners is flawed, especially in the context of English football’s competitive structure.
Both United and Spurs have endured underwhelming domestic seasons, currently sitting 15th and 16th respectively in the Premier League table. Despite their struggles at home, both clubs have advanced convincingly to the Europa League final, meaning one of them will earn a Champions League spot next season—not through league merit, but as a result of winning a secondary European competition.
Speaking to beIN Sports, Wenger expressed concerns about the fairness of this rule and proposed that Europa League winners should instead be granted the opportunity to defend their title, rather than being bumped up to the Champions League. His argument is rooted in the already generous allocation of Champions League spots to English clubs.
“They should automatically qualify for the Europa League again,” Wenger said. “But not necessarily for the Champions League. Especially when it comes to the Premier League, where five teams already qualify. I think this is something UEFA should reflect on and potentially revise.”
He acknowledged that some argue the Champions League prize serves as a crucial incentive to keep the Europa League competitive and attractive, but he maintained that a more balanced approach should be considered.
Gary Neville echoed Wenger’s sentiments, lamenting how the focus on financial rewards has overtaken the sporting prestige of winning trophies. For Neville, the Europa League has lost its essence because clubs are prioritizing the financial windfall from Champions League qualification over the actual silverware.
“I agree to some extent with Arsène Wenger,” Neville admitted. “These days, every conversation around football seems to revolve around the money involved. When teams talk about winning the Europa League, it’s rarely about the trophy itself—it’s about the £60 million that comes with Champions League qualification. That’s a shame because competitions like the UEFA Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup used to mean so much more. Even the FA Cup has lost some of its shine.”
Roy Keane was even more direct in his assessment. He believes that clubs like Manchester United and Spurs, who have endured dismal domestic campaigns and suffered frequent defeats, do not deserve to compete with Europe’s elite based solely on a Europa League win.
“I completely agree,” said Keane. “It’s called the Champions League, not the ‘Back Door League.’ It’s supposed to be for the very best. Look at Man United—how many games have they lost this season and last? Spurs are in the same boat. If you lose that many games, you shouldn’t be rewarded with a seat at Europe’s top table.”
In response to Wenger’s comments, Manchester United manager Rúben Amorim appeared to take the criticism on the chin, stating ironically, “By the end of the season, we might be the worst Premier League team in history with a European trophy to show for it.”
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, on the other hand, was more animated in his defense of his team and the rules that currently govern European qualification. He dismissed the debate as yet another example of people taking aim at Spurs.
“That’s a debate that’s apparently been going on for years—well, at least for the last eight days,” Postecoglou said with a wry smile. “I’ve heard it all before. Spurs does crazy things to people. Just putting our name in a sentence seems to drive people to diminish anything we achieve.”
Postecoglou also questioned why this topic has suddenly become contentious, given that the rule has existed for some time. “Why wasn’t it an issue last year? Why is it a problem now? Fifth place didn’t get you into the Champions League last season, but it does now. Things change. The rules are clear: the Europa League winner qualifies for the Champions League. There’s no asterisk saying you have to also finish top six in your league. But it’s Spurs, so of course people are going to find a way to poke holes.”
Ultimately, the conversation brings to light a growing tension between traditional values of sporting merit and the modern emphasis on financial incentives and marketing appeal in European football. As elite competitions evolve and UEFA continues to adjust its formats, Wenger’s remarks have reignited a long-standing debate about what it really means to qualify for the Champions League—and whether clubs should be able to sidestep domestic shortcomings with a single successful European run.