Mutineers may have to pay for a ‘spectacular miscalculation’
ENGLISH football’s ‘Big Six’ clubs could still face Premier League sanctions despite backing out of the breakaway European Super League.
The Coventry Telegraph understands the league’s position has not altered since it issued a statement on Tuesday afternoon, when all six – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham – were still signatories to the proposal.
At the time, it said: “The Premier League is considering all actions available to prevent it from progressing, as well as holding those (clubs) involved to account under its rules.”
Section L9 of the league’s handbook states member clubs shall not enter or play in extra competitions without the prior written approval of the league’s board.
Tuesday’s statement from the league followed an emergency meeting of its other 14 clubs in response to the crisis.
By yesterday morning, the six had pulled out following a huge backlash from supporters, governing bodies and other clubs, as well as their own players and managers.
Their withdrawals were marked in some cases by apologies – and in the case of Manchester United their executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward announced he would leave the club by the end of the year.
On Sunday night the six Premier League clubs, plus three each from Italy and Spain, announced they had signed up to be ‘founder members’ of the competition, which they, along with three additional teams, would be involved in without the threat of relegation.
By yesterday afternoon only Spanish duo Real Madrid and Barcelona remained. Fellow Laliga side Atletico Madrid were the first of the sides outside England to pull out, followed by Inter Milan and then AC Milan.
Juventus’ statement stopped short of withdrawal. Instead they observed that the intended withdrawals of others meant the project had “limited possibilities”.
Its chairman, Andrea Agnelli, came in for scathing criticism from UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin for his role in the breakaway on Monday as the Slovenian said: “I’ve never seen a person that would lie so many times, so persistently as he did.”
The English clubs’ actions have in some cases fuelled fresh sentiment against their owners and directors, and were described by Football Supporters’ Association vice-chair Tom Greatrex as a “spectacular miscalculation”.
The concessions they gained in the 2024-25 Champions League format – more matches, extra places for teams based on historic performance – could be revisited by UEFA and its stakeholder partners.