UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin insists the European Super League is dead and guarantees there will never be another winter World Cup.
And the Slovenian is adamant there will be no resurrection of the highly contentious breakaway format - with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus still pushing to offer an alternative ahead of the revamped Champions League which launches at the start of the 2024/25 season. The proposals threaten the likes of Celtic and Rangers and clubs outwith the top five leagues over their European future in the coming years.
Ceferin, in a wide-ranging interview, said: "The old proverb says that misfortune never comes alone. While the whole world was looking for a way out of the crisis caused by the pandemic, a handful of powerful people tried to take advantage of it and privatise elite football for their own selfish interests. They failed and always will. Because football is part of our culture and tradition - it belongs to everyone, to each of us. I am extremely proud of how the European football family has responded to both challenges. That synergy of UEFA, the Federation, leagues, clubs and fans is truly unique."
And Ceferin was also strong over the potential of another season-altering major tournament held midway during a season. Scottish Premiership and top-tier leagues throughout Europe are on hold for over a month to accommodate the World Cup in Qatar. But Ceferin has assured Scottish clubs and others that it will never happen again, while also having a dig at FIFA's policy of extended injury time which has been a feature of the tournament.
He said: "I am sure of one thing - the winter World Cup is not good for football and will not happen again, because it burdens the calendar of competitions and national leagues too much. FIFA did announce that they will calculate the lost time more strictly, but I have to admit that we are all surprised by such a long stoppage time in the opening matches.
"Medical interventions, frequent delays, increased number of substitutions and VAR affect the effective playing time, but I think the right measure should be found. In the Champions League, for example, about 60 minutes are played effectively without such compensations. I think that's a good guideline. UEFA will definitely not follow this principle that FIFA applies in its tournament."
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