Platini preoccupied as grand plan comes to fruition

UEFA President Michel Platini attends a news conference after the draw for the 2015/2016 UEFA Europa League soccer competition at Monaco’s Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo, Monaco – Reuters

REUTERS: With an almost unbelievably cruel and ironic sense of timing, Michel Platini’s grand plan to open up the European championship finals to more countries than ever before is reaching its climax just as he faces a possible suspension from football.

The 60-year-old UEFA President, former France great, former national team coach and still French football’s most revered icon, might be persona non grata when his country hosts the 24-team finals next summer.

Instead of basking in some reflected glory after an unexpectedly exciting and open qualifying competition that reaches its climax over the next few days, Platini is facing an uncertain future because of his alleged involvement in a $ 2 million (£ 1.3 million) payment from FIFA which is being investigated by the Swiss authorities.

Platini was a strong advocate of expanding the finals from 16 to 24 teams despite widespread opposition from many critics who feared the move would ruin what was regarded as the “perfect tournament.”

But if the qualifiers are anything to go by, the expanded finals could take the Euros to new heights as countries like Iceland, who have never been to a major tournament, and Wales, virtually certain to qualify for one for the first time since 1958, bring a refreshing new look to the old format.

With eight qualifying rounds completed, only Austria, the Czech Republic, England and Iceland have definitely booked their places alongside hosts France next year.

By next Tuesday, 20 of the 24 finalists will be known as will the eight teams going into the four playoffs being played in November.

A total of 52 international matches will kickoff between Thursday and next Tuesday with 32 nations still having hopes of reaching the finals while 17 countries are definitely eliminated.