According to reports, the debate over Champions League qualification for the Europa League winner has heated up. It appears that two English teams, Manchester United and Tottenham, who convincingly won their first-leg semi-final matches, are the main contenders for the title.

If either United or Tottenham win the Europa League, they will automatically qualify for next season’s Champions League. This comes despite both teams having disastrous Premier League campaigns, far from the qualification zone.

Arsene Wenger openly criticized this automatic qualification today. Wenger is not just an ordinary analyst—his opinion carries weight. Currently serving as FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, he argues that the Europa League winner should automatically qualify for the next Europa League, not the Champions League.

Wenger told BeIN Sports: “It’s not right for the Europa League champion to qualify for the Champions League. This rule needs to be corrected. The Europa League winner should automatically qualify for the next Europa League, not another tournament. Especially this year, when five teams from one league qualify for the Champions League, having another team from the same league qualify just because they won the Europa League is strange. This rule must be reviewed, and I will discuss it with UEFA. In fact, this change would benefit the Europa League and make it more attractive.”