UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has praised the “extraordinary resilience” of European clubs while stressing the need to continue “working together” after “recovering from unprecedented threats” in the foreword to the governing body’s annual benchmark report.
The review was published - coincidentally - on the same day that A22 Sports Management launched its manifesto for a new Super League, a list of "10 principles" that was abruptly met by scorn by many of European football’s key stakeholders. And while Ceferin did not name the Super League directly, his reference to “unprecedented threats” was clear as he went on to praise fans for “defending proper football and European values.”
He said: “The key is now to remain fair, strict, and consistent. As football navigates through its darkest times, we must remember the lessons we learned during this period. And the one that I keep underlining is the unity of the European football family. We can overcome any threat or challenge by working together and remaining faithful to our beautiful sport.”
