United efforts to stop ‘criminal’ breakaway plans

Uefa has reacted angrily to the threat of six English clubs joining a breakaway European Super League.

Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester City have signed up to the breakaway plan, according to reports, and will be joined by teams from Italy and Spain.

A joint statement from Uefa, the Football Associations of England, Spain and Italy, plus the Premier League, Laliga and Serie A added they remained united in their efforts to “stop this cynical project” and were considering all “judicial and sporting (measures) in order to prevent this happening”.

The reports met with widespread condemnation from within the game and Gary Neville says he is appalled by the developments, which he feels are motivated by greed.

The former Manchester United and England defender told Sky Sports: “I am a Manchester United fan and have been for 40 years but I am disgusted, absolutely disgusted.

“It is an absolute disgrace. Honestly, we have to wrestle back power in this country from the clubs at the top of this league, and that includes my club.

“The motivation is greed. Deduct them all points tomorrow, put them at the bottom of the league and take the money off them. Seriously, you have got to stamp on this.

“It is criminal. It is a criminal act against football fans in this country. Deduct points, deduct money and punish them.

“Enough is enough. There isn’t a football fan in this country that won’t be seething listening to this conversation and these announcements. This is disowning your own club stuff, this.

“Let them break away but punish them straight away. If they announce a letter of intent has been signed, those six clubs, they should be punished heavily. Massive fines, points deductions, take the titles off them.”

Neville also feels the timing is crass, coming amid a pandemic and just ahead of an anticipated announcement from European governing body Uefa today detailing changes to the format of the Champions League.