The clarion has again been blasted for Rangers and Celtic to join the European Super League as the company behind the controversial competition pitched "development opportunities" for smaller nations.
English Premier League sides Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham, along with Italians Inter and AC Milan as well as La Liga side Atletico Madrid backed last season’s attempted breakaway from the Champions League, led by Spanish superpowers Barcelona and Real Madrid and endorsed by Serie A giants Juventus. All clubs faced a furious backlash and after a hasty climbdown the proposal was obliterated by football’s governing bodies with just Barca, Real and Juve holding on to hope of a revival.
That sent A22, a company formed to sponsor and assist with the creation of the Super League, back to the drawing board and they are looking to push through a new 80-team format for the competition going forward. The multi-divisional format would be based on sporting performance with no permanent members – in contrast to the original 12 club concept.
A22 chief executive Bernd Reichart has opened the door for clubs from smaller divisions to be included in the new structure, which could see Scottish Premiership heavyweights Rangers and Celtic drafted in. The Glasgow clubs were back in the Champions group stage this season but both failed to win any of their six games and tumbled out at the first hurdle.
Speaking to Italian outlet La Stampa, Reichart insisted there has been a positive response to the overhaul so far: "There will be category divisions within these 60-80 teams: the challenges between big teams with star players on the field will certainly increase.
"That's what the public is asking. From the studies in our possession it appears that this is the request of the fans, in Italy the percentage is very high. But at the same time we want to give smaller clubs more development opportunities."
A22 is locked in a legal battle with UEFA and FIFA over the right to block the formation of the Super League and sanction the competing clubs in the court. They arguing the governing bodies are abusing a dominant position under EU competition law.
With the European Court of Justice is due to give its final ruling in the case later this year, Reichart claims the final details of the rebrand and clubs involved will be revealed once the case is settled: "It is too early to go into details. We must first have a solid legal basis.
"For this we need to wait for the sentence of the European Court of Justice in the spring. At that point it will also be easier to make agreements with the clubs.
"What we can say now is that we want to offer a minimum path of at least 14 European matches every season. Thus the companies will have a secure perspective in terms of revenues and international visibility."
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