Daily Sabah (Turkey)

European Super League attempt backfires as more football clubs abandon project

Having triggered an enormous backlash from players, fans and football authoritie­s, the Super League had said it would look to “reshape” the project, before finally abandoning it

- EDITOR SUDIB SONTORAN

JUVENTUS chairperso­n and one of the founders of the breakaway European Super League (ESL) Andrea Agnelli said yesterday that the league can no longer go ahead as Spain’s Atletico Madrid and Italy’s Inter Milan joined six English clubs to abandon the controvers­ial project.

Twelve of Europe’s leading football clubs from England, Italy and Spain announced a breakaway league on Sunday but after 48 hours of massive pressure from fans, politician­s and even British royals the six English clubs backed out on Tuesday.

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,” Agnelli told Reuters, saying it would have been the best competitio­n in the world. “But admittedly ... I mean, I don’t think that that project is now still up and running.”

Atletico Madrid joined Inter Milan yesterday in pulling out of the project.

A source close to Inter Milan had earlier confirmed to Reuters they were no longer interested in the project “in light of the latest developmen­ts.”

THE FOUNDING members of the league were English clubs Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, Italy’s Juventus, Inter and AC Milan, and Spain’s Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico.

Agnelli’s Juventus, AC Milan, Barcelona and Real Madrid are the four clubs yet to announce their withdrawal but that position is expected to change within hours.

Liverpool’s principal owner John Henry apologized in a video on the club’s website and social media yesterday.

“It goes without saying but should be said 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 from players, fans and football authoritie­s, the Super League had said late Tuesday it would reconsider and look to “reshape” the project, while stopping short of throwing in the towel.

‘BEAUTIFUL DAY’

The Super League had argued that it would increase revenue for the top

clubs 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 breakaway would only boost the power and wealth of the elite clubs, and that the partially closed structure went against European football’s longstandi­ng model.

Players, fans and pundits celebrated the U-turns of the English teams.

“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.

“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 yesterday’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 intergover­nmental 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.”

 ??  ?? Chelsea fans demonstrat­e against the European Super League before a Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Brighton & Hove Albion, London, Britain, April 20, 2021.
Chelsea fans demonstrat­e against the European Super League before a Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Brighton & Hove Albion, London, Britain, April 20, 2021.

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