Super League shelved as clubs withdraw
Eight of 12 founding members drop out, including Atletico, Inter and all six Premier League clubs
MANCHESTER (Reuters) – The European Super League collapsed on Wednesday as eight of the 12 founding members from England, Italy and Spain abandoned the breakaway project under massive pressure from fans, politicians, soccer officials and even the British royals.
Founder and Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli said he was reluctantly calling time on the new league after six English clubs withdrew on Tuesday, with Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid following suit and AC Milan indicating it would too.
“The voices and the concerns of fans around the world have clearly been expressed about the Super League, and AC Milan must be sensitive to the voice of those who love this wonderful sport,” the Italian club said in a statement.
Agnelli said he still believed in the merits of the Super League despite the overwhelming criticism and had no regrets about how the breakaway had been conducted.
“I remain convinced of the beauty of that project,” said Agnelli, adding that it would have been the best competition in the world.
Juventus itself stopped short of saying the league was dead, but said it recognized there were limited chances of the project being completed in the form originally conceived.
The Italian club said in a statement that it was aware certain clubs intended to leave, but they had yet to complete the necessary procedures under the Super League agreement.
The Super League argued it would increase revenue for the top soccer clubs in Europe and allow them to distribute more money to the rest of the game.
However, the sport’s governing bodies, other teams and fan organizations said the league would only boost the power and wealth of elite clubs, and that the partially closed structure went against European soccer’s long-standing model.
“We welcome the news that some of the clubs have decided to abandon plans for the European Super League, which threatened the whole football pyramid,”
read a statement from England’s Football Association.
“English football has a proud history of opportunity for all clubs and the game has been unanimous in its disapproval of a closed league. It was a position that, by design, could have divided our game, but instead, it has unified us all.”
Players, fans, pundits and politicians celebrated the U-turns of the English teams on Tuesday that left the league in tatters and pushed other founding members to jump ship.
“This is the right result for football fans, clubs, and communities across the country. We must continue to protect our cherished national game,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.
The founding members were Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur from England, AC Milan, Inter and Juventus from Italy and Spain’s Atletico, Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Barcelona and Real Madrid were the only two founders yet to issue official statements by Wednesday afternoon.
Liverpool’s principal owner John Henry apologized in a video on the club’s website and social media on Wednesday.
“It goes without saying but should be said that the project put forward was never going to stand without the support of the fans,” he said.
“I alone am responsible for the unnecessary negativity brought forward over the past couple of days. It’s something I won’t forget. And shows the power the fans have today and will rightly continue to have.”
Having triggered an enormous backlash, the Super League had said late on Tuesday it would reconsider and look to “reshape” the project, while stopping short of throwing in the towel.
“What a beautiful day for football. Let’s keep playing, let’s keep fighting, let’s keep dreaming,” said Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy.
The news dominated the front page of Wednesday’s newspapers in Britain.
“Defeat of Greed,” declared the Daily Mail’s front-page headline while the i paper summed up the withdrawal as “Own Goal.”
The Daily Telegraph proclaimed a “victory for fans” while the Times said the clubs involved had bowed to “fan fury.”
A top official from the Council of Europe termed the project an unfortunate initiative and called on an inter-governmental sports coordination body to urgently discuss the ramifications of the proposed breakaway.
Amid celebrations over the collapse of the project, anger remained. Some pundits said the owners of the English teams would never be forgiven.
“They were going to sell the souls of our major football institutions,” said Liverpool great Graeme Souness.
“I don’t know how these clubs will manage to get back on-side.”
Former Arsenal manager Wenger also weighed in.
“I’m not surprised it didn’t last long. I never believed from the start it would happen. It ignored the basic principles of sporting merit. If you ignore that you kill the domestic leagues, fans would never accept that. Rightly so.”
Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman hit out on Wednesday at soccer’s authorities as the fallout continued from now-abandoned plans to create a European Super League.
Koeman, whose side are preparing to host Getafe in La Liga on Thursday, criticized both European soccer’s governing body UEFA and Spain’s La Liga, saying that reforms, including fewer games, are needed.
“I agree with [Manchester City coach Pep] Guardiola when it comes to the number of games players have to play in over a season. It’s too many, incredible,” Koeman told a news conference.
“Everyone’s talking about the Super League and the Champions League, but UEFA aren’t paying any attention to the players about the number of games.
“The only thing they care about is money. In La Liga, it’s the same. Look at the scheduling. Tomorrow we play at 10 p.m. – we need to protect the players.”
The Dutchman also said that club president Joan Laporta had spoken to him about the Super League, but would not be drawn on Barca’s participation.
“There’s been a lot of fallout and the best thing is not to say much now, no one knows what will happen. What I want most is what’s best for this club,” Koeman said.
Koeman did, however, say he agreed with defender Gerard Pique’s tweet which said: “Football is for the fans. Today more than ever.”
Arsene