The fiercest opponents of the Super League will see it as an improved version of the slap on the wrist.
More than two weeks after the launch and abandonment of this closed Champions League project, UEFA announced this Friday light financial sanctions against nine of the twelve clubs at the origin of the scandal.
After almost imploding European football, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid "agreed" to pay together 15 million euros and to give up 5% of their European manna for one season.
Read alsoSuper League: how the project turned into a fiasco in 48 hours
These nine teams, the quickest to dissociate themselves from this private competition launched on the night of April 18 to 19, and abandoned 48 hours later, "recognized and accepted that the Super League project was a mistake," explains UEFA in a press release.
By a document signed with the European body, the repenters recognized "without reservation" to be bound by the statutes of UEFA and "have undertaken to participate in any European competition" for which they would be qualified "on sporting merit".
The price of recidivism set
Sign of their return to the bosom of the authorities, they "will join the Association of European Clubs" (ECA), which they had left with a bang, and must "take all measures" to break their commitment with the structure responsible for 'organize the Super League - even if it means having to compensate their former acolytes.
In return, they get away with limited sanctions: an "aggregate" donation of 15 million euros to "local communities" of European football, and the forfeiture of 5% of the income from European competitions that they should have. touch for a season.
UEFA, which has played its credibility if not its survival in the crisis of the Super League, takes the opportunity to set the price in the event of a repeat offense: "100 million euros" fine if they participate in an unauthorized tournament , and "50 million" for any other breach of their commitments.
Real, Barça and Juve into the unknown
"These clubs recognized their mistakes quickly and took steps to demonstrate their contrition and future commitment to European football," greeted the head of the body, Aleksander Ceferin, in the statement.
But "the same cannot be said of the clubs which remain involved in the Super League", namely Juventus Turin, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, "and UEFA will take care of these clubs later".
The body "reserves the right to take any measures it deems appropriate against clubs which have so far refused to give up" their private project, continues UEFA.
Juve, whose president Andrea Agnelli was close to Aleksander Ceferin, Real and Barça were indeed content to take note of the collapse of the project, but did not show any regret and continue to defend the principle. .
"The matter will be quickly submitted to the competent disciplinary bodies of UEFA", adds the body without specifying a deadline.
