UEFA have issued a reponse after more European Super League (ESL) talks were held earlier today (November 8).
A22 Sports, promoters of ESL, met with UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin and a host of executives including Edwin Van Der Sar, Oliver Kahn, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Javier Tebas in private talks in Nyon, Switzerland.
The talks, which A22 reportedly believed would be with Cerferin alone, involved UEFA reiterating their stance of 'total opposition to the self-proclaimed super league.'
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CBS reporter Ben Jacobs states that the meeting lasted more than two and a half hours but no new ideas were put forward by A22 - founded by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez's banker - who claim to have had no part in the initial ESL breakaway in April 2021.
UEFA have since issued a statement which adds: "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. The participants took note, with surprise, of the claims of the 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."
Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus are the three clubs mentioned, whilst recent reports determine that any attempt to bring in Celtic, Rangers or Ajax into a new ESL would make the involvement of Chelsea, Arsenal or Tottenham illegal.
The rest of UEFA's statement reads: "UEFA and football stakeholders remain committed to the foundations of European football, which are based on openness, solidarity and meritocracy and serve broader objectives of sporting principles and societal interest, rather than privilege and self-entitlement.
"This approach has been given unanimous support by the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and extensive support from national governments, public institutions, and stakeholders across the continent."
In attendance at the meeting alongside Kahn, Van Der Sar and Rummenigge - all part of the European Club Association (ECA) as well as Kahn and Van Der Sar being CEO's at Ajax and Bayern Munich, respectively, - was Paris Saint-Germain president and ECA chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi.
Kevin Miles, Football Supporters' Association CEO was also present, whilst representatives of English clubs 'could not participate due to the scheduled meeting of Premier League shareholders.'
A22 have subsequently responded with their own statement stating: "free speech and free exchange of ideas are fundamental." A22 are part of a group that want to get rid of UEFA's monopoly on European football and there will be a clearer idea of how that is likely to transpire on December 15, when the Advocate General will make a non-binding decision as to whether competition law allows UEFA their hold on European football.
Jacobs further reports that Ceferin told A22 that there is nothing stopping them trying to found ESL but it will be incredibly hard to find teams willing to partake.
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