What would the possible future European Superleague look like?

The now former president of Barça dropped a bomb.

Leaving FC Barcelona on Tuesday, Josep Maria Bartomeu left one last "gift".

"The management committee approved yesterday (Monday) the acceptance of the prerequisites to participate in a future European Superleague between football clubs," said the leader.

This idea, born in 1998, of a European championship bringing together the best clubs from the Old Continent continues to take shape.

Led in particular by some English clubs, but not only, the project is supported by Barça.

This European championship must, a priori, bring together 18 clubs and end with play-offs.

An idea that obviously does not make people happy within UEFA or the national leagues. 

UEFA, FIFA and supporters hostile to the project

UEFA on Wednesday recalled its firm opposition to this old sea serpent favorable to big clubs.

European football boss Aleksander Ceferin "has made it clear on several occasions that UEFA strongly opposes a Superleague".

claims that FIFA is behind this new proposal.

The international body would like to find an equivalent to the current Champions League from 2022. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has come to deny this information.

"As president of Fifa, I am interested in the Club World Cup, not the Superleague," he assured in an interview with the Swiss daily

last week.

What matters to me is not Bayern against Liverpool, but Bayern against Boca Juniors of Buenos Aires ”, he had developed, assuring that he wanted to give“ clubs outside Europe ”a“ global influence ”.

Same rejection on the side of the national championships and the fans: "The position of the majority of groups today is that of a call for solidarity" in this period of health crisis, explained to AFP Ronan Evain, general manager of the Football Supporters Europe (FSE) network.

"Not a revolution which would blow up (...) any chance for supporters of medium-sized teams to one day gain access to a European competition."

New format with the 18 best European clubs

This European Superleague would take the name of European Premier League.

The goal is therefore to create a league according to the American model of the NBA which brings together 18 participants drawn from the best championships (England, Spain, Italy, Germany, France).

The first phase would consist in seeing all the adversaries confront each other.

Then the best ranked would then compete in a knockout format to conclude the tournament, with rewards of several hundred million euros. 

estimates that "at least twelve teams" are already in the race.

and

, the two most historic English clubs, would not only be seduced by the idea but are already negotiating to join this closed European Superleague.

For its part, the Spanish daily

claims that in addition to

,

and

would be the other two La Liga teams to participate.

also revealed that

,

,

be starters.

In France, only Paris could claim a place in this new European competition.

For La Liga president Javier Tebas and Luis Figo, the European Superleague has a good chance of seeing the light of day within two years.

A new competition which should widen the already existing gap between large and small clubs.

Even if Tebas explains to AFP that "the televisions do not want a Superleague.

They want a good Spanish Liga, a good Serie A, a good Bundesliga, a lot of products, not just one ”.

Clubs opposed to the European Superleague

In Germany, Bayern Munich and Dortmund are showing their attachment to the Bundesliga, the fan's favorite competition.

On the Italian side, AC Milan admits that "there can not be proposals that lead to a break with the national championships", while Andrea Agnelli, boss of Juventus, is close to Aleksander Ceferin, president of the 'UEFA.

At PSG, President Nasser Al-Khelaifi sits on the UEFA executive committee, a body hostile to the project.

"Nothing will happen, 1. as long as UEFA has not validated its project for a new Champions League (by 2024, Editor's note), 2. as long as the English have not (...) not obtained the reforms that will make their Premier League more competitive, ”bet a Parisian club manager.

What is certain is that this project is sowing discord and will be talked about for a long time to come before perhaps seeing the light of day in a few years.

Finally, the establishment of this European Premier League cannot be done without a common agreement of the majority of clubs and bodies.

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