Michel Platini has questioned the motives of the G14 group which is currently trying to sue world football’s ruling body FIFA.

Composed of 18 of Europe’s most powerful clubs, the G14 has launched a bid to sue FIFA in the Belgian courts for 860 million euros over the contentious issue of club players being used at international level.

Platini, an executive committee member of UEFA who will run for the UEFA presidency next year, dismissed G14 as a self-serving body which has “no legitimacy”.

“The G14 has no legitimacy,” said Platini after a UEFA executive committee meeting here Wednesday.

“Clubs have the right to make certain demands, but they must do so through already exisiting bodies, including the UEFA clubs forum or the national federations.

“The G14 is simply following the money trail. The big clubs always want more. For them, sport is just a way to make money. We don’t share that philosophy.”

At a court hearing in Belgium the G14 is backing a bid to sue FIFA over the issue of compensation for players injured on international duty

“The G14 demands €860m in damages from the International Football Federation (FIFA) to cover the losses incurred by the 18 clubs in the G14 over the past ten years,” said the G14 group’s lawyer, Jean-Louis Dupont.

“This figure covers the cost of putting players at FIFA’s disposal and their unavailability after they have been injured while playing for the national team.”

G14 claim that clubs are being punished twice when players return injured from international duty: as well as missing his services they must also continue paying his salary.

However Platini responded: “It’s ridiculous! Players want to play for their national team.

“International matches are also important for clubs because it adds value to players when it comes to transfer time. Opposing freeing up players (for international duty) just doesn’t make sense.

“If clubs make demands after players get injured, fine, that’s logical. But I’m totally against the principle of compensation.

“In addition, G14 is asking FIFA for the money when it is not even FIFA who selects national teams! They (G14) would do better asking the national federations for compensation.”

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