Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell appointed as one of four key men to change Champions League format

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell has been appointed as one of four key men who will try and change the Champions League format – just days after the Hoops were dumped out of the competition.

Neil Lennon’s side slumped to a shock 5-4 aggregate defeat to Romanian minnows, Cluj, and were eliminated before even the play-off stages.

However, Parkhead chief Lawwell was appointed by the European Club Association (ECA) to sit on UEFA’s Professional Football Strategy Council for the next four years.

He will be charged with changing the heavily-criticised format of the Champions League.

Lawwell will join Ajax chief, Edwin van der Sar, vice-president of Real Madrid, Pedro Lopez, and Arsenal’s football director, Raul Sanllehi, in trying to radically alter Europe’s top competition.

There have been major complaints over the qualification process, which sees clubs like Celtic and Ajax being forced to undergo several rounds just to get into the Group Stages.

The Dutch giants have been tasked with getting through two play-off rounds, despite reaching the Champions League semi-finals last season.

Lawwell, who is already a member of the ECA Executive Board, was appointed at a meeting of the 246-strong organisation in Liverpool.

They stated: “The four ECA representatives will sit on the UEFA Professional Football Strategy Council for the upcoming cycle, 2019-23.

“We have held multiple member forums and bilateral meetings.

“The aim has been to debate the principles behind the vision, seek input from members, and assess the best ways to develop the UEFA club competitions.

“The Executive Board reviewed and discussed the feedback received to date.

“This will be analysed further over the coming weeks, but our members have made clear that the current structure of UEFA club competitions is not serving the interests of the majority of clubs, particularly those outside of the largest domestic competitions.

“The ECA’s priority in the next phase of the consultation process is to work with stakeholders across football to find the best route for reform.”