Platini slams foreign owners

Uefa president outburst at Premier League

By Peter Fraser   Last updated: 29th August 2007

Platini slams foreign owners

Platini: Scathing attack

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Michael Platini has launched a surprising attack on the foreign ownership of English football clubs.

Platini, the president of Uefa, has revealed his dislike for the increasing foreign investment in the Premier League.

Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Aston Villa are among a number of top flight clubs who have been taken over by owners from abroad and Platini insists that something must be done.

"I can't understand how so many English clubs are owned by foreign people," Platini told Sky Sports News.

Identity

"I think we can do something. I don't know why Americans come to buy some clubs. You need your identity.

"I can't understand why some English clubs are owned by Americans because they do not come for the beauty of the game, for the romance of the football in England.

"They come because they want to make money. We need to defend that.

"If you have Manchester against Liverpool it is part of the population of the cities.

"But now if you have an owner from America against an owner from Russia, I don't like it."