UEFA is considering changing the dates for UEFA Cup matches rather than the competiton’s format, chief executive Gerhard Aigner has confirmed.

Aigner said UEFA Cup games, currently played on Thursdays, could be staged on Wednesdays following thereduction in the number of Champions League fixtures, from next season.

‘The trend is towards less football on television,’ Aigner told German sports news agency SID.

‘We are considering keeping the knock-out system (for the UEFA Cup) but having games played on the Wednesdays without Champions League.

‘We have just reformed the Champions League to make it shorter and that frees four Wednesdays (for the UEFA Cup matches),’ he added.

Clubs concerned that the competition has become devalued in recent years, have been campaigning for a group phase to be introduced in the competition, but judging by Aigner’s remarks UEFA prefer to retain the knock-out format.