BERNE — FIFA President Sepp Blatter wants to get rid of World Cup qualifying playoff ties in future, saying it is a hard way for teams to miss out on the Finals. Twenty teams, plus host Brazil, have qualified for next year's tournament via round-robin groups but the remaining 11 places will be decided this month, all in two-legged playoffs. Five matches will be played in Africa, between runners-up from the 10 second-round groups, four in Europe, involving the best eight runners-up from nine groups, plus two intercontinental repechage ties. These feature Jordan against Uruguay and Mexico vs. New Zealand. “It will be drama because you have to eliminate teams now in two matches,” Blatter said in a video interview on FIFA's website. “I think this is good for television, this is good for the spectacle of football but I think we should try to find a solution where at the end of the qualification, you are in or out, and not this playoff. “This playoff ... it gives more intensive action, but for those teams (who are knocked out) it is a hard way to go.” Blatter also said that FIFA was looking carefully at the decision to allow Egypt to play its home tie against Ghana in Cairo because of the security situation. Ghana leads 6-1 from the first leg. “We should be very careful because they (Ghana) fear something should (might) happen,” said Blatter. “We are looking at this matter, there have been matches played in Egypt, international club matches, but we must be careful.” Lewandowski confirms exit Poland striker Robert Lewandowski confirmed Wednesday he will leave Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season “to experience something new,” without revealing his future destination. Dortmund faces Arsenal Wednesday at Borussia's Westfalenstadion in the Champions League, but the 25-year-old Lewandowski has said he will leave when his contract expires in June. “I want to experience something new next season even though I feel very well in Dortmund,” the Polish striker told magazine Sport Bild having joined Dortmund in July 2010. “I will announce my decision next year.” Having last season become the first player to score four goals in a Champions League semifinal, Lewandowski has already scored nine goals in 11 league games this season. For the rest of the season, he has said he now wants to focus on playing well for last season's Champions League finalist Dortmund “without being” further distracted by the subject. The Bundesliga's top scorer, Lewandowski has said he wants to “win titles” for the rest of his stay with a Dortmund team which is “more consistent” and with “greater firepower” compared to last season. According to FIFA regulations, Lewandowski can announce his future destination from January 1 and has been heavily linked to European champion Bayern Munich, which he wanted to join at the end of last season. In a bid to keep him, Dortmund gave Lewandowski a significant pay rise for the last 10 months of his contract and Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has confirmed a “separation agreement.” — Agencies
