Bayern fans protest UEFA prior to Champions League match against Atletico

At Bayern Munich’s final Champions League group-stage match against Atletico Madrid, the Bayern ultras put up a banner protesting UEFA:

“Union for Empowering Financially strong clubs to Abolish competition” refers to the latest rule changes that UEFA made to the Champions League format. Those changes, which were announced earlier this year (notably four guaranteed spots for the top four clubs in the top four leagues, reducing the number available for everyone else) all go to ensure that much of the massive amount of money to be made from the Champions League stays in the hands of the wealthiest clubs who regularly populate the knockout stages, dampening the prospects of the aspirants from outside that clique.

Although Bayern itself is one of the chief beneficiaries of the latest changes - and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as chair of the European Club Association himself was instrumental in bringing the rules about - these Bayern fans seem to believe that UEFA should, on the contrary, foster a more level competitive landscape.