Marketing: "The Bundesliga is ten years behind the Premier League" (Christian Seifert, DFL)

"In international marketing, the Bundesliga is ten years behind the Premier League," said Christian Seifert, CEO of DFL (German Professional Football League) on 18/02/2014. "When you see that Puma (German sports equipment supplier) has just pledged a three-digit million amount as the sponsor of Arsenal (Premier League), it makes you think," he added, in an interview with German economic magazine, Handelsblatt.

For the first time in the history of the Champions League, four German clubs involved in the 2013-14 edition will participate in the knockout stages of the competition. "I am convinced that in the long term, good performances in the Champions League will benefit the Bundesliga, from the point of view of marketing, such as its international marketing and media rights," said Seifert.

"Over the past 10 years, of the finalists of the Champions League, only three were not included in the European Top 10 richest clubs. This is why the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) must ensure, in the coming years, that competition in national championships is not fixed by resources…