Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
UEFA chief Ceferin launches an astonishing attack on the men behind Euro Super League who will face a fight to the bitter end
SNAKES. Greedy, narcissistic doublecrossers who are spitting in the face of football lovers.
LIARS. Rich people who are interested only in getting richer, not in the sport.
CHISELLERS. An unscrupulous cartel of owners who want to steal the beautiful game from society.
And Aleksander Ceferin was only warming up.
With respect to Gary Neville’s wonderful tirade against the Dirty Dozen, this was a different level from the UEFA president.
The legal practicalities of the fight against the rotten, rebel 12 will be complex and drawn-out.
You might even find a slight irony in an organisation such as UEFA planting its flag so dramatically on the high moral ground.
But one thing is for certain. In Ceferin, the army lined up against the Super League plotters have a commander who will fight the proposal to its bitter end.
And boy, is it bitter.
“We might be naive in not knowing we have snakes close to us,” said Ceferin. “Now we do. This idea is a spit in the face of all football lovers, and our society as well, so we will not allow them to take it away from us.”
If you were wondering exactly who the snakes are, then listen to Ceferin on Manchester United executive vice chairman Ed Woodward and Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli.
“I was a criminal lawyer for 24 years and have seen many different people,” he said. “But I have never, ever seen people like that.
“Ed Woodward called me last Thursday evening, saying he’s very satisfied with and fully supports the reforms and the only thing he wanted to talk about was Financial
Fair Play… when obviously he had already signed something else.
“Greediness is so strong that all the human values evaporate.
“Andrea Agnelli the biggest disappointment of all. I’ve never seen a person that would lie so many times, so persistently as he did. It is unbelievable.
“It is always good to learn in life who is who and all the world knows now.
“They were unanimously supporting our reforms on Friday when they had already signed the Super League agreement.”
Agnelli and Ceferin were pals not so long ago. In fact, Ceferin is godfather to Agnelli’s daughter. The UEFA is president clearly feels personally betrayed but he is also convincing when claiming the game itself is being betrayed by club owners who have even cited the financial effects of the pandemic as a reason for their breakaway. Ceferin went on: “This is not about help, this is not about Covid, this is about greediness, selfishness and narcissism – nothing else. Some club owners do not look at the number of goals but at the bank account only.”
When the emotions have simmered down, Ceferin will know UEFA faces a complicated battle against such powerful club institutions. And he will need
FIFA chief Gianni Infantino (left) to stand shoulder to shoulder with UEFA.
“I have spoken with him and he says he is against it and will state it publicly tomorrow,” said Ceferin. “He will strongly condemn this project.”
Super League organisers said they were seeking urgent talks with UEFA but Ceferin was suitably dismissive of getting around the table with the men he has dubbed ‘snakes’.
“I got a letter signed by I don’t know who because there was not a name on it. Probably, it was a ‘Super Person’,” he said in a brief moment of levity during an hour-long attack on the Super League schemers.
“They care about their pockets, they care to be famous… but they will be famous in the wrong way.
“I am angry because a dozen rich people want to steal football from society.
“I am angry because they write in their press release about solidarity but they don’t know ‘S’ about solidarity.”
Aleksander Ceferin is angry… just like we all are.