The European Super League has sen shockwaves across the footballing world with various boards and governing bodies coming out to say strong words against the new competition.
The likes of the Premier League and FIFA have already condemned this decision with UEFA coming to say that they will be banning all the involved clubs from playing in the Champions League or the Europa League, maybe with immediate effect. And if this was not enough then the players playing for these teams could also be restricted from playing in the Euros for their respective national sides.
UEFA president Alex Ceferin has said, as reported: “As previously announced by Fifa and the six federations, the players who will play in teams that might play in the closed league will be banned from playing in the World Cup and Euros, so they will not be able to represent their national teams at any matches, so we urge everyone from the millions of football lovers around the world, the world’s media gathered on this call today, politicians and football’s governing bodies to stand tall with us, as we do everything in our power to ensure this never ends up in fruition.”
And this statement has made the whole situation messier with the fans being totally left in the dark as to how things are going to pan out.
Up until now, we have mostly heard from the people who have been opposing this idea but now Florentino Perez, the mastermind behind the European Super League has chosen to speak out. And here are some excerpts from his interview, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano on Twitter.
The European Super League intends to change football & bring about transparency:
Perez said: “The new Champions League format for 2024 is something absurd. I have no personal interest in making this Super League, I am not the owner of Real but only the president because Real is owned by the members. I only want to save football.
“Why aren’t UEFA and La Liga salaries public? Why haven’t salaries been reduced like everyone else during the pandemic? We need more transparency. We know the salary of LeBron James but we don’t know the salary of the UEFA president.
“UEFA is a monopoly but it needs to be more transparent. We want to save football for the next 20 years, it is in a time of serious danger. If you win, you receive €120 to € 130m from UEFA but with Super League we will earn much more.
“Football needs to change to be more attractive globally. Instead of making the Champions League because it lost interest as he had in 1950, change comes and even at the time FIFA and UEFA were against it. But that’s how football changed.”
Are the 12 sides at the risk of being banned?
“Real Madrid and other Super League clubs will NOT be excluded from this 2020/2021 Champions League. It won’t happen, the law protects us. This is impossible.
“Boris Johnson said he will do everything to cancel the Super League because they explained to him that the Premier League would disappear: it’s false, it’s not true. Everything will go back to normal.”
Will teams & players be banned from national leagues & major global tournaments?
“Real Madrid, Manchester City and Chelsea as the other clubs of Super League will NOT be banned from the Champions League or domestic leagues. 100%, I’m sure. Impossible.
“Players banned from international competitions and National teams according to UEFA? Don’t worry, this will NOT happen. They won’t be banned if they join Super League.”
Is the European Super League a closed league & who else are going to join?
“The Super League is NOT a closed league, it’s absolutely not true. Whoever wins the five available spots will be able to play with the other best teams in the world.
“PSG were NOT invited, as of today. We haven’t even spoken to German clubs. We are now 12 clubs, we want to become 15 clubs. If PSG and Bayern Munich refuse, the Super League competition will not be canceled. This is a bullshit.
“We will speak to UEFA, as we said in the statement. We have to discuss with UEFA the 5 spots available in the Super League. UEFA has been working on the new format of the UCL, but I honestly don’t understand it. We want to save football.”
