UEFA: "The national teams are just as important as the clubs" (Michel Platini)

"I have never understood the disagreements between the clubs and national associations, as if one is superior to the other. When I played, I gave 100% to the club and 100% to the French team. So we changed the calendar of national teams a little and established the 'week of football'. A week of national team matches to upgrade the national associations," said Michel Platini, president of UEFA (Union of European Football Associations), to NTF on 13/02/2014.

"In Europe, the national teams have never been greatly considered. Me, I think they (the national teams) are just as important as the clubs. Now people can see something like Spain-Armenia just as easily as, say, Chelsea-Plzen. I'm glad we implemented this calendar to offer more national team football," added Platini, who will attend the Euro 2016 qualifying draw in Nice (FRA) on 23/02/2014.

Regarding the Champions League, with the 2013-14 edition's knockout phase beginning on 18/02/2014: "All I can do is make arrangements for the sporting criterion to resist the economic criterion. To carry out reforms so that everyone has a…