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UEFA President Michel Platini announced that from the 2013-2014 season, an equivalent of the Champions League tournament for young footballers will begin.
32 clubs qualifying for the next UEFA Champions League season will be allowed to let their youth teams up to the age of 19 compete in a youth league of the same format.
"We believe that the Youth Champions League is another attractive proposal for participants in the elite tournament," Platini officially told the UEFA website.
"We are providing young players with the opportunity to gain international competition experience. The tournament will offer a chance to improve and develop not only for the players but also for the referees. Clubs can reduce the gap in levels between youth and men's teams and pay more attention to the development of youth teams," said the Frenchman.
This year, young talents from famous European clubs have the opportunity to compete in the "NextGen Series" tournament, which involves 24 teams.
