Since this Monday morning and the announcement of the creation of a Super League project founded by twelve of the biggest clubs in Europe, silence reigns among the stars of the game. That they evolve within one of the twelve dissident clubs or in unaffected teams.
What do Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé, Neymar, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski or Sergio Ramos think?
Until now, none of these big names has positioned itself, neither in the press nor on social networks.
Out of prudence?
For fear of commitment?
“Their position is very uncomfortable,” notes Tristan Molineri, image agent for high-level athletes. It is difficult for them to express themselves in the ambient blur. It takes time to digest, to fully understand all the contours of this Super League and its consequences for UEFA. The players are, despite themselves, in the middle of a war between the authorities. The news remains, in fact, fresh on Tuesday. Among the players who dared a public reaction, some famous names: the Englishman Marcus Rashford, the Portuguese Bruno Fernandes or the French world champion, Benjamin Pavard. At PSG, Ander Herrera led the way, without follow-up. Even if Leandro Paredes assures us: "We talked about it among teammates and I hope that it will not happen".
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The players in the game are not the leaders of the anti-Super League “sling” led by UEFA, the Leagues and the European Federations.
Luka Modric, Golden Ball 2018, has split a "like" on social networks after a statement by David Beckham against the project.
But there is not (yet) any trace of any collective movement.
The discomfort is felt in the words of the big names of the bench.
On the one hand, the Franks Pep Guardiola and Jürgen Klopp, coaches of Manchester City and Liverpool, two founding clubs of the Super League.
On the other, the measured Zinédine Zidane (Real Madrid), Thomas Tuchel (Chelsea) or Mauricio Pochettino (PSG), whose opinion remains secret.
Attention, sensitive subject.
Caught between financial issues and football values
What are they risking, however?
Without them, football does not exist.
Mino Raiola, famous agent of stars including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba or Erling Haaland, advances an explanation on his social networks: “The players must not suffer negative consequences because of the evolution of football.
They did not participate in any discussion, did not have a say in the events of this week, and yet they are used in this discussion.
"
The Dutch representative adds the substance of his thought: “One point, however, is clear and confirms what we have been saying for years: the current system is not sustainable.
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Does that mean some stars might be in favor of the Super League?
"I can assure you that the great players want to play in the big clubs, slips a source close to the new competition.
None of the twelve members asked their players to be silent.
We are not in a system where speaking is prohibited.
We must give them time to reflect with all the elements in hand.
"
Tristan Molineri clarifies: “We must not exclude either the enormous financial stakes that this implies.
Some players could be tempted to respond favorably to these sirens, but they are caught in a vice because the question of the values of football arises, and this Super League calls this into question.
"
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A point also weighs to justify the lack of reaction from some stars: the threat of sanctions wielded by UEFA.
“All this does not concern us, annoys the agent of a renowned Ligue 1 player. We have never been invited to the negotiating table, the players do not have a say and the first reaction UEFA is a threat to them.
It is a subject which must be settled between the leaders of these clubs and the authorities.
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FIFPro, the International Federation of Professional Footballers, reacted strongly to threats of sanctions from UEFA against players, recalling that these would be illegal.
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