9 Apr 2010Debt 'will hamper English clubs in Europe'

Football Clubs News | Football Finance News

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness believes English Premier League clubs will struggle to maintain their European success of recent years.

Speaking after his side's quarter-final away goals Champions League win over Manchester United, Hoeness claimed that English football will be "the big loser" if UEFA goes ahead with proposed punitive measures targeted at indebted sides.

The president claimed English sides "will not play the same role as before", adding: "Many of the English clubs have built themselves up on debt and that, for me, is not correct."

Although both Manchester United and Liverpool's debts are a direct result of unpopular leveraged takeovers rather than reckless spending, Bayern's victory left England with no remaining representatives in Europe's premier club competition.

Last month, UEFA chief Michel Platini announced plans to restrict the financial clout of club owners who run teams at massive yearly losses, such as Chelsea's Roman Abramovich and Manchester City's Sheikh Mansour.

Written by Tom Jenkins

© Copyright