Platini wants UEFA chance for Cardiff

By Mitch Phillips

LONDON (Reuters) - Cardiff City's hopes of playing in next season's UEFA Cup were lifted on Monday when the FA said it would re-examine their case and UEFA said it would consider giving the Welsh club a wild card entry.

The Championship (second division) team beat Barnsley 1-0 on Sunday to earn a May 17 final berth against Portsmouth, the first time they have reached the final since they became the only non-English side to win the FA Cup in 1927.

Under FA rules they would not be able to play in Europe if they win as Welsh clubs can only qualify through their own competitions but an FA statement issued on Monday said that the issue remained open.

"At this stage we have not ruled out Cardiff City being entered into Europe via The FA Cup should they win it," the FA said in a statement.

"However, further conversations need to take place but we would expect to have final clarification on this before the end of the month."

The FA are likely to consider the issue at a board meeting on April 24 and a UEFA spokesman said that European soccer's governing body would wait to hear the result of that meeting before taking any action.

The spokesman confirmed that UEFA president Michel Platini had asked the executive committee to look at the possibility of giving Cardiff a wild card entry but said the next meeting will take place on May 19/20, two days after the final.

Cardiff regularly represented Wales in the defunct European Cup Winners' Cup via the Welsh Cup and coach Dave Jones said he wants a return.