The European Super League was created "to save football", says Real Madrid president Florentino Perez. Real are one of the 12 European clubs who have signed up to the breakaway league and intend to establish a new midweek competition. Perez said the move had been made because young people are "no longer interested in football" because of "a lot of poor quality games". "Whenever there is change, there are always people who oppose it," he said. Perez said that the top teams were losing money and that big-name matches would help increase their revenue. "We are doing this to save football at this critical moment," Perez told Spanish TV show El Chiringuito de Jugones. "If we continue with the Champions League there is less and less interest and then it's over. The new format which starts in 2024 is absurd. In 2024, we are all dead." He added: "In the '50s, it was a similar situation. UEFA and FIFA went against the new European Cup, but that competition changed football."
AC Milan chief executive Ivan Gazidis said the ESL would be "a new, exciting chapter for the game" and that it will "provide value and support" across European football. "We're confident that this new competition will capture the imagination of billions of soccer fans all over the world," he said. Gazidis also said the club wants to continue to play in Serie A, which he said "will remain the most important weekend competition in Italy". Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo came out in support of the ESL and the club's owner Andrea Agnelli, who quit as European Club Association (ECA) chairman after signing the Turin club up to the new competition. "He explained this project to us, he gave us great confidence, but the most important thing he told us is that we have to continue with our work," Pirlo said.
Perez said the move had been accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic, which has led to matches being played behind closed doors. He claimed 40% of young people are not interested in football and Real have lost 400m euros (£344m) because of the impact of the pandemic. "When you don't have any income other than from television, you have to find a solution to make more attractive matches that fans all over the world can watch with all of the big clubs," said Perez. "Young people are no longer interested in football. They have other platforms on which to distract themselves. We could get back some of the money we lost because of the pandemic. We have to raise more money organising more competitive games." There has been no concrete plan released on how the tournament would be structured, but Perez said it could have shorter matches in order to keep their targeted younger audience interested. "Young people say the game is too long," he said. "If young people don't watch an entire game it is because it is not interesting enough, or we will have to shorten the games." He also said that referees and the video review system would be "improved" in the tournament. "There will be financial fair play and stability. We'll try to select the referees with professional criteria," he added. Another three teams will be added to the league as guaranteed members, with five more qualifying each year. Perez said the group want to start the new league by August, should they reach an agreement with UEFA, otherwise it could be delayed by a year.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin called the league a "disgraceful, self-serving" plan and a "spit in the face of football lovers". Ceferin also said that players involved with the ESL could be banned from all UEFA competitions, which Perez denied. "It will not happen, the law protects us," Perez added. "We will not get into legal issues. It is impossible. The players should remain calm because the threats won't happen. "This is not a league for the rich, it's a league to save football." (Source: BBC)
The 45th Ordinary UEFA Congress unanimously approved a declaration strongly condemning the so-called Super League: “The 55 member associations and participants in the UEFA Congress condemn the declaration of a so- called “Super League.” The UEFA Congress is adamant that the closed “Super League” goes against the very concept of what it is to be European: unified, open, supportive, and principled on sporting values. UEFA and its member associations believe in a truly European model that is founded on open competitions, solidarity and redistribution to ensure the sustainability and development of the game for the benefit of all and the promotion of European values and social outcomes. The conspirator clubs have obviously failed to see that their status today was not achieved in isolation, but rather was part of a dynamic European system where big, medium and small clubs have all contributed to the successes and losses of everyone. It is an affront to European values and sporting merit for them to assume they are entitled to “separate” and lay claim to the legacy that everyone built. UEFA, its member associations and all those who love football stand firm and will strongly resist and fight against this move by these clubs’ owners and their backers to the fullest extent possible. We know, morally, what is at stake and will protect football from a selfish clan who care nothing for the game. We are European football. They are not.” (Source: UEFA)
