False start for the Superlega.
A little more than 48 hours after the press release announcing its birth, it is already losing its pieces.
THE VIDEOGRAPHICS
"The current situation in European football needs a change. A new competition is needed because the system does not work, our proposal is fully compliant with the laws. But in the light of the current circumstances
we will evaluate the appropriate steps to reshape the project
". This was stated, in summary, by the Superlega in the draft of an official note circulated during the night and which ANSA has read.
"The European Super League - reads the draft -
is convinced that the current status quo of European football needs a change
. We propose a new European competition because the existing system does not work. The goal of our proposal is to allow sport to evolve and at the same time generate resources and stability for the entire football pyramid, including aid to overcome the financial difficulties faced by the entire football community due to the pandemic. Furthermore, our proposal would provide football stakeholders with significantly improved solidarity contributions "." Despite the announced departure of English clubs, forced to make these decisions due to the pressure exerted on them - adds the note -, we are convinced that the our proposal is fully compliant with European laws and regulations,as demonstrated today by a court decision protecting the Super League from the actions of third parties "." In light of the current circumstances - he concludes -, we will evaluate the most appropriate steps to reshape the project, always having in mind our objectives to offer to the fans the best possible experience, improving the contributions of solidarity for the entire football community ".
"I welcome last night's announcement.
This is the right result for fans
, clubs and communities across the country. We must continue to protect our beloved national game." So on twitter the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson applauds the decision of the six English clubs to renounce the Super League.
"I said yesterday that it is admirable to admit that you have made a mistake and these clubs have made a big mistake." In an official statement, the president of Uefa Ceferin said the news of the teams had retired from the Superleague project: "But now I'm back in the team and I know I have much to offer, not only in our competitions, but to the entire European football.
The what is important now is to move forward together
and rebuild the unity enjoyed before this sport "
Protest by Juventus fans against the Super League
." Our history should not be muddied, bartered and commercialized ", reads a banner of the Viking, an ultra-Juventus group, which appeared on the gates of the 'Allianz Stadium in Turin in the night. "We are Juventus Fc.
No to the Superlega ... Shame on you! ", The banner still reads, which in these hours is making the rounds of social media and which seems to refer to the president of the club Andrea Agnelli.
The reverse.
After the defection of Manchester City also the other five English clubs
, involved in the creation of the Superlega, have withdrawn from the controversial plan. Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool - as anticipated by ANSA according to what was leaked from the meeting - have decided not to be part of the new competition. The officialization came through the press releases of the clubs. The six English teams therefore leave the Super League immediately after its creation, in a sudden change of scenery. Arsenal even goes so far as to apologize to the fans with a tweet in which they admit that they were "wrong". Nothing else transpires from the meeting of the 12 founding clubs, except that Juventus' position on the project is currently unchanged. "As a result oflistening and the football community in general in recent days - the Gunners tweet - we are withdrawing from the Super League proposal.
We made a mistake and we apologize. "
The project thus loses six out of 12 pieces
, heavily affected by the protest unleashed in the United Kingdom by fans, the press and many professionals, a protest strongly supported by the government of Premier Boris Johnson.
And in the middle of the night, Inter also retreated:
"The Super League project at present is no longer considered to be of interest to us."
And Barcelona are also not so sure they are part of it
: membership of the Catalan club is conditioned by the approval of the members, who will be called upon to express their opinion on the matter. The day had developed between the Uefa executive, with Ceferin trying to extend his hand by inviting "the presidents of some clubs, mainly English", to "change their minds", and Florentino Perez who indicated the way in the Super League "to save football ", while Fifa's opposition was reiterated, with the president, Gianni Infantino, announcing that" the clubs will pay the consequences ". Overcome, so to speak, the shock of the press release the other night, the ball (and not only) makes a wall.
Meanwhile, a court in Madrid - reiterating what already happened years ago with the Euroleague and what was said to ANSA on Monday by the lawyer Pierfilippo Capello on legal disputes - has issued a precautionary measure that prevents FIFA, UEFA and the Spanish Liga and national football federations to take action against clubs that have announced membership of the Super League. A prior request submitted last Friday by the European Superleague Company SL. The "salvific" goal of the Super League (which "could start in five months, we are ready to sit down and talk to UEFA. Their threats of exclusion are not legal anyway", says the general secretary, Anas Laghrari) evoked by Perez from UEFA.
Ceferin spoke about it openly during the Montreaux executive: "
With the Superlega they are trying to privatize football
- Ceferin's words - But we are ready, we were waiting for them even if we didn't know when they would arrive. Governments, fans, the media are with us. Will we let him take football? No, believe me, this is a game that we cannot lose. Football does not belong to anyone. Or rather, it belongs to everyone, because football is part of our heritage. "The intervention of Uefa's No. 1 is tough, but leaves some room for the 12 clubs." You made a big mistake - the words of Ceferin Someone he might say it's greed, ignorance or whatever, but it doesn't matter, you still have time to change your mind. Everyone makes mistakes. "The European football confederation will meet again on Friday with the issue of the cities that will host the match on the agenda.European and it is not excluded that the Superlega issue could be included among the topics: exclusions from the Champions League, sanctions as announced yesterday by the n.1 of the Danish football federation Moller. Definitely harsh, in his speech, Infantino: "Fifa is an organization built on values, the true values of sport. We can only strongly condemn the creation of a Super League, which is something closed, which is an escape from current institutions football. There is no doubt that Fifa disapproves of this project. "We can only strongly condemn the creation of a Super League, which is something closed, which is an escape from current football institutions. There is no doubt that Fifa disapproves of this project ".We can only strongly condemn the creation of a Super League, which is something closed, which is an escape from current football institutions. There is no doubt that Fifa disapproves of this project ".
A vision opposite to that of Perez, according to whom "football must evolve and this format will guarantee us much more money. The Champions League - he ruled - has now lost its appeal". Then the attack on UEFA: "Ceferin cannot insult as he did with Agnelli, he is unpresentable". There is no shortage of rumors against, even among those who are in the pay of the 'founding' clubs of the Superlega, such as Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, one of the 12, who bluntly says that "
when there is no relationship between commitment and the result is no longer sport
".