UEFA, La Liga chiefs express disgust as new European Super League plans revealed; Prem stance clear
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and La Liga counterpart Javier Tebas have slammed Juventus, Barcelona and Real Madrid for discussing new European Super League plans.
The idea initially came to light in stunning circumstances in April last year. Indeed, 12 clubs from across Europe – including six from the Premier League – revealed plans to break away.
The intention was to form their own elite league which would remove the threat of relegation for the founding clubs. In doing so, it would have erased the roots of English football.
As a result, fans from the six participating English clubs – Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham – protested against the plan. And within 48 hours, the idea collapsed. Chelsea’s protests particularly caught the eye outside Stamford Bridge.
However, Juventus, Madrid and Barcelona have continually called for a new breakaway league.
Talk of the European Super League has died down in recent months, but speaking at a Financial Times Business of Football Summit, Tebas revealed Juventus chief Andrea Agnelli had hosted his Real Madrid and Barcelona counterparts Florentino Perez and Joan Laporta in Turin “a few Fridays ago” to try to reignite the idea.
Tebas said (via the PA news agency): “What they’re saying, especially the Real Madrid president, is that they failed a first attempt. They have seen it was difficult to get English clubs to take part.
“They are trying to design a model where English clubs are not present. There will be [representatives from] the other four [major European] leagues.
“There will be some sort of first division and a second division. As far as I know, national leagues will have access through the second division.
“Those in the first division, they have direct access because they will never get relegated. I don’t know if Agnelli will explain. And if he doesn’t explain he’s lying.”
Premier League stance on European Super League clear
As for the Premier League’s perspective, chief executive of the league, Richard Masters, insisted English football fans should not worry.
“No, I don’t worry about it,” he said. I’ve many other things to worry about. That’s not one of them.
“The European Super League was over and done in 48 hours in this country, thanks to the fan backlash and all sorts of people getting involved.
“I’ve never known football so united that it was during that 48-hour period, but really the idea defeated itself, it was such a poorly executed idea.”
UEFA president Ceferin also hit out at the new revelations.
He said he feels “sick and tired of speaking of this non-football project.”
Ceferin added that Agnelli, Perez and Laporta “obviously live in a parallel world” if they are trying to reignite the plans again.
“One of them even after called me and apologised and then they go again,” Ceferin said.
“They can play their own competition, nobody forbids them to play their own competition. But if they play their own, they cannot play our competition.”
Gary Neville calls for legislation
Gary Neville, who received plaudits for his fierce backlash against the European Super League, has since called for an independent regulator to protect English football.
The former Manchester United full-back tweeted on Thursday: “The ESL is back on the table. Real, Barca and Juve are pushing.
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“It’s critical we accelerate the Fan Led Review recommendations through Parliament with Legislation to protect English football and allow any new proposals to be viewed with independence.”
Neville has also highlighted the plights of Bury and now Derby in his calls for regulation on football club ownership.
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