‘Super League’ backlash sweeps world of football
Anger swept through European football following the announcement that 12 of the world’s biggest clubs formed a breakaway group to establish a controversial Super League, a closed competition that would effectively replace the Champions League. A look at t
WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR THE LEAGUE?
Europe's 12 top football clubs said they have agreed to set up a new European competition, the European Super League, that will play mid-week football (generally reserved for Uefa’s Champions League and Europa League), and will be governed by its ‘founding clubs’.
WHO ARE THESE CLUBS?
AC Milan (ITA) Arsenal (ENG) Atletico Madrid (SPA)
Chelsea (ENG)
Barcelona (SPA)
Inter Milan (ITA)
Juventus (ITA)
Liverpool (ENG)
Manchester City (ENG)
Manchester United (ENG)
Real Madrid (SPA)
Tottenham Hotspurs (ENG)
WHAT IS THE CRITICISM? ‘CLOSED SHOP’
The biggest criticism around the proposal is that of the 20 clubs that will participate in the league, only five will enter based on their “sporting achievement”. The 15 ‘founder clubs’ cannot be relegated or moved out of the competition no matter how poorly they perform
END OF A MERIT-BASED GAME
For over a century, the crux of European football has been on a basis of merit, where every country has a top league of 20 clubs. The three teams finishing at the bottom get relegated to the second-tier league, while the top three clubs from the second league are promoted to the top league at the end of every season. This has ensured that teams performing well can eventually rise to the highest levels. This provision does not exist in the Super League
CHORUS GROWS AGAINST 'ULTIMATE BETRAYAL'
Supporters and legendary players of the clubs from the breakaway European Super League have joined top football officials in slamming the controversial plan, branding it the "ultimate betrayal".
76%
of fans of the
six English clubs oppose the proposals, according to a poll conducted by YouGov
"We strongly disapprove... if some go their own way then they must live with the consequences of their choice, either you are in, or you are out. You cannot be half in and half out." — GIANNI INFANTINO,
Fifa president
“I can't believe it when I saw Arsenal's name as one of the teams... Is this how far we have fallen? We are now are getting into competitions [this way] because we're not good enough to get into them.”
— IAN WRIGHT, former Arsenal striker "I'm disgusted. It's an absolute disgrace. We have to wrestle back power from the clubs at the top of this league and that includes my club." — GARY NEVILLE, United former captain Manchester
"I cannot stress more strongly how everyone is united against this disgraceful, self-serving proposals, fuelled by greed above all else."
— ALEKSANDER CEFERIN, Uefa president "It's the death of football... Football is based on the concept of competitive balance, sporting competition and qualifying on merit." — TIM PAYTON, head of Arsenal Supporters Trust
“Whenever there is a change, there are always people who oppose it... and we are doing this to save football at this critical moment... When you don’t have revenue, the only way to change that is to try to have more competitive games, more attractive games.”
— FLORENTINO PÉREZ, founding chairman of Super League and Real Madrid president