While for nine of the clubs the European Super League debacle has been put to bed, for three other clubs it remains at the forefront of their minds.
Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham Hostpur, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid all committed to joining a breakaway European tournament in April of last year, one that was backed by US bank JP Morgan to the tune of more than £3bn.
Just 48 hours after it was presented on social media, the plans were in tatters as backlash from fans, governing bodies and even government saw nine of the clubs back down and apologise to their fans for their part in the fiasco.
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Fenway Sports Group chief and Liverpool principal owner John Henry went as far as recording a video apology to Reds fans, shouldering the blame for the plot, with the club then working with fans groups, led by the Spirit of Shankly, to create a Supporters Board that would have the power to say no to any future plans to enter the ESL, an agreement written into the articles of association at the club, meaning it would be binding even if ownership was passed on to someone new.
Three of the clubs remain espoused to the idea of the ESL, however, with Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona all remaining unwavering in their stance that it is what they feel is needed in European football, so much so that they have been engaged in legal action against UEFA for more than a year, claiming that European football's governing body has a monopoly over the game on the continent, something UEFA refutes.
The holding company behind the ESL plans, A22, has been on the offensive in recent weeks, hiring a new CEO in German TV executive Bernd Reichart as it attempts to sway opinion on the ESL, gearing up for another presentation of a new format, driven by the three rebel clubs.
Reichart last month received a rather frosty reception when he was faced with a number of stakeholders when attending a meeting with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, with Paris Saint-Germain chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi and representatives from the Premier League, La Liga and supporter groups also in attendance.
"In line with the unity of European football, UEFA and the participating football stakeholders once again unanimously rejected the rationale underpinning projects such as ESL during today’s discussion," UEFA said in a statement.
"The participants took note, with surprise, the claims of A22 Sports CEO that this company is not representing any clubs in any capacity, including the three clubs who continue to openly support the project."
Also present at the UEFA meeting with A22 was Kevin Miles, CEO of the Football Supporters Association, who addressed Liverpool's stance when he spoke to an audience of stakeholders at an All Party Parliamentary Group for Football Supporters event at the House of Lords last month: "We have some clubs who have moved an incredible distance in the right direction in terms of their supporter engagement. Interestingly enough, some repentant sinners are among those clubs, in terms of the ones who were involved in the conspiracy for the breakaway.
"I think people have either genuinely learned their lesson, we don’t have a ‘sinnerometer’ to measure the sincerity of those clubs, but they either genuinely regret what they’ve done or realise they have some way to go to redress their image. But we have clubs who have come a long way to establishing clear lines of communication, genuine supporter engagement."
Despite Liverpool's shift in the other direction A22, on Monday, parroted the line from Real Madrid president Florentino Perez from October after he had suggested that the lack of games between Real Madrid and Liverpool over the years was a sign that the European club model was flawed.
A22's social media account posted on Monday: "How is it possible that Real Madrid and Liverpool have only met nine times in 67 years? Don't you think this is a sub-optimal competition?!
"What is the point of depriving fans of these matches?"
Liverpool, who will meet Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League in February, continue to be used as part of the marketing offensive of A22 despite their position on the ESL and any future efforts being addressed by a statement, initially released to the Guardian, earlier this year.
"Our involvement in the proposed ESL plans has been discontinued," the statement read.
"We are absolutely committed to following that through and there should be no ambiguity to suggest otherwise.
"We are acting on the best legal advice and approach to appropriately end our involvement."
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