Football - Platini defends move to 24 teams

Quantity will not affect quality at the next European championship, UEFA president Michel Platini said on Monday, as the tournament moves from the current 16-team format to 24 in four years' time."I think that we'll have another eight good teams qualified. That will not affect the quality of the matches. It won't be a problem for quality," he said."I've already played in World Cups with 24 teams. There were six groups of four. The first two qualified and the four best-placed third finishers went through to the quarter finals," he explained."How can you say to a city like Lviv (in Ukraine), which has built an airport and a new stadium, 'There you go, that's you done' after three matches?" he added."I mean, the city will always have a legacy and development but the Euro's over for football after three matches. With 24 teams, there'll be more matches."

Source: AFP