Pellegrini: "The Super League is an idea to destroy national football"

The day prior to the celebration of part, matchday 31 of the Santander League brought together an important rosary of appearances from Primera coaches.

Everyone spoke about the creation of the European Super League.

Some of them, the case of Julen Lopetegui, coach of Sevilla, was somewhat lukewarm around the project led by Florentino Pérez, president of Madrid.

Other trainers, the case of Manuel Pellegrini, Betis coach, Unai Emery, from Villarreal, and Javi Gracia, from Valencia, were much more forceful in their analysis of the new competition, which has convulsed the European and world football scene.

Betis is one of the teams that has most strongly expressed its frontal rejection of the new Super League. Even its president, Ángel Haro, said that if Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid continued with the Super League, they should leave the Spanish League. Pellegrini, coach of the first team, and manager of Manchester City between 2013 and 2016, was also quite resounding. “The Super League is an idea that will destroy national football everywhere. The feeling of the fans are in the national leagues. I think it would be an idea to destroy national football, "said the Betic coach. “This idea was made in South America and it did not prosper. It is something that has been heard here for a long time. I do not think it is good that sporting merits are not taken into account to reach European competitions.I don't understand a league in Spain without the strongest teams, which are tremendously popular, ”added the Verdiblanco coach.

More information

• What is the European Super League and what does it consist of: teams, format and other keys

Unai Emery, Villarreal coach, is one of the most successful coaches in continental football, where he has won three Europa League tournaments with Sevilla. Now, with his team, he will play the semifinals of this competition against Arsenal, the founding team of the Super League despite not being European champions. “They have already made a very American decision. The strong unite and we'll see what happens to the others. My position and that of Villarreal is to be against it and look for solutions for everyone. They talk about an open league, but it is closed, "said Emery. “Everyone wants to grow and we have to figure out what we do with second-line equipment. The football that I have experienced is that of a grandfather who was a Cup champion with Real Unión. My father was a player and I am in football because of that. My position is to respect that ”, added the coach.

"I am very cautious, I do not have all the information, I am focused on the game against Levante and I will give an opinion when I have all the information," said Julen Lopetegui, coach of a Sevilla who, as an entity, showed head-on opposition to this competition. To such an extent that the president of UEFA, Aleksander Ceferin, thanked the body's assembly in his speech for the support received by José Castro, president of the Andalusian team.

Javi Gracia, coach of Valencia, also showed a position contrary to the celebration of a Super League in the terms set forth by its 12 founding teams. “You have to prioritize what is related to the essence of football and with this new competition I don't see it that way. It is an economic project, more than a sports one. I don't think it really represents the values ​​that we all want from football, ”said Gracia, who asked the players for protection and for the threats against them to be withdrawn. Especially when UEFA states that the footballer who participates in this new competition will not be able to play for their respective national teams.

“As a fan, I don't like it.

I like my competition, my League.

I like that those of us who have been lucky enough to play European competition are to win it over on the pitch, on their own merits, and not by invitation or a right of pernada that I don't believe in, ”said Fran Escribá, Elche coach.

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