He presents himself as the one who wants to calm things down. Fifa President Gianni Infantino is not in favor of sanctions against the twelve clubs which have tried to launch a European Super League, preferring an all-out "dialogue" to reform the football, according to an interview Wednesday with the newspaper L'Equipe.
"Certain actions should have consequences, and everyone must assume their responsibilities," concedes the boss of world football, deeming "unacceptable" and "unimaginable" the creation of a closed tournament "outside" the authorities.
"But ... we must always be careful when we talk about sanctions (...) It is quickly said that we must punish.
It's even popular - or populist - sometimes, ”adds Gianni Infantino, regularly suspected of having secretly encouraged the projects of mutineer clubs.
He wants to understand "why we got there"
For him, if any sanctions must come "firstly" from the national authorities, then from UEFA and finally from Fifa, "by punishing for example a club, you also punish players, coaches, fans, which have nothing to do with it ”.
"I always prefer to favor dialogue over conflict, even in the most delicate situations", he explains, calling to "listen to everyone" to understand "why we have come to this".
Among multiple avenues, he insisted on the ongoing reform of the transfer market, including a cap on agents' commissions and a reinstatement of their license, which Fifa plans to adopt by the summer.
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But to promote "economic stability" and "competitive equilibrium" of football, he also referred to "the introduction of salary ceilings, ceilings on transfer allowances", "a limitation of the number of players per team , as well as the obligation to have a certain number of locally trained players ”or even“ a minimum rest period ”- so many ideas which remain to be implemented and sometimes encounter legal obstacles.
An expanded Club World Cup?
Regarding the international calendar, a particularly delicate subject as the players end this season exhausted while they still have to play Euro or Copa America, he called for “fewer matches, but of better quality”.
Without taking a clear position, Gianni Infantino was content to promise "interesting discussions" on the recent proposals of French Arsène Wenger, director of world football development at Fifa, who advocates a World Cup and a Euro every two years .
On the other hand, he reaffirmed his intention to expand the World Club Cup to 24 teams, without a specific deadline for the moment, promising that this project contested by the confederations would become "the best club event in the world".
