13 Mar 2008Platini comments on Cardiff's Uefa Cup dilemma

Another day, another Uefa/Fifa official wading in to give their opinion on English football.

This time, it's Uefa president Michel Platini who's sticking his head above the parapet. Not content to limiting his opinions on the state of the national game - which he has called a "joke" - Platini has pledged to sort out the plight of Cardiff should "England" (by which he presumably means the FA) fail to change its rules to accommodate the club in the event of it qualifying for Europe.

Under current FA rules, Cardiff are treated as an associate member of the FA and are considered to have a full membership of the Football Association of Wales (FAW).

As a result, the FA has said that should Cardiff win the FA Cup they will not be entered as one of England's representatives in the Uefa Cup as would normally be their right.

However, Platini has said he will step in if it transpires that Cardiff are blocked from appearing in European competition.

"We spoke with the FAW," he told BBC Sport.

"I think it is not normal that if they win then they're out. That's not natural and not so good.

"If England don't do anything we will," he continued.

"We have to respect the result on the field."

Platini has already failed in his attempt to allow the winners of premier domestic cup competitions to appear in the Champions League.

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