The European Super League – remember that? Well, it's back and bigger than before.
A22, the company formed to sponsor and assist with the creation of the league, revealed its new plans for the ESL earlier on Thursday and they have gone down like a lead balloon as predicted. The latest serving would comprise of up to an 80-team competition with a multi-divisional format in the future. With a larger number of teams included in the latest creation it means teams like Celtic and Rangers could be included in a bid to sway smaller nations to participate.
Team would need to qualify for the tournament through their domestic leagues but it seems as if it’s another money spinner for the bigger clubs across the continent. UEFA and FIFA both hit out at the last launch in 2021 and they are likely to do the same again this time. Football fans will all remember the outcry the last time the ESL was launched and it seems the anger is being repeated nearly two years later.
So, here's all you need to know about the latest proposal...
What happened last time?
The Super League was sprung on supporters in April 2021 with 12 founding members signing up to participate in the European competition. The teams involved were: AC Milan, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Tottenham.
The ink wasn't dry on the contracts before fans from all 12 clubs hit out at the plans. Anger from supporters, pundits and politicians quickly led to all six Premier League clubs pulling out, while AC Milan, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan also removed themselves from the competition. It just left Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid committed to the cause.
What was the fallout?
UEFA and FIFA eventually blocked the formation of the league, however A22 was furious and took the governing bodies to court. The firm argued that FIFA and UEFA are abusing a dominant position under EU competition law. The European Court of Justice is due to give its final ruling in the case later this year, but a non-binding opinion delivered by the Advocate General in the case in December said rules allowing UEFA and FIFA to block the formation of new competitions was compatible with EU law.
What is the latest proposal?
The competition of around 80 teams and would be based on sporting performance only with no permanent members, A22 chief executive Bernd Reichart told German newspaper Die Welt. Teams would be guaranteed a minimum of 14 matches per season, Reichart wrote.
It's believed A22 consulted with around 50 European clubs since October last year and developed 10 principles based on that consultation which underpin its plans for a new-look league. In October Reichart said a league could be set up for the 2024/25 season but that looks unlikely.
Reichart wrote: "The foundations of European football are in danger of collapsing. It's time for a change. It is the clubs that bear the entrepreneurial risk in football. But when important decisions are at stake, they are too often forced to sit idly by on the sidelines as the sporting and financial foundations crumble around them. Our talks have also made it clear that clubs often find it impossible to speak out publicly against a system that uses the threat of sanctions to thwart opposition.
"Our dialogue was open, honest, constructive and resulted in clear ideas about what changes are needed and how they could be implemented. There is a lot to do and we will continue our dialogue."
Does it have a better chance of succeeding?
It is hard to tell but the inclusion of clubs from smaller markets, such as Scotland, Belgium, Portugal and the Netherlands, could help move the dial in A22s' favour slightly. The backlash from fans the last time could mean the creation of a European Super League is forever destined for the bin, but A22 is determined to upset the apple cart.
All eyes will be on the European Court of Justice's decision later this year. If the outcome goes against A22 then they could drop the idea altogether, however if it goes the other way then expect to hear much more about the European Super League.
What's the response been?
La Liga chiefs have been the most outspoken about the league, saying: "The Super League is the wolf in the story of Little Red Riding Hood. It is disguising itself as an open and meritocratic competition, but underneath there is still the same selfish, elitist and greed-driven project. Don't let their tales fool you."
The SPFL spokesperson told Record Sport: "We have seen today's statement from A22 Sports Management, which is seeking to replace UEFA's Champions League with a new European Super League. Our understanding is that the Court of Justice of the European Union will be ruling on UEFA's decision later this year and we await the outcome of that case with interest."
The European Clubs Association was also scathing, it said: "ECA notes the latest dispatch from A22's alternative reality. However, in the real world, this rehashed idea has already been proposed, discussed and comprehensively rejected by all stakeholders in 2019. This is just another deliberately distorted and misleading attempt to de-stabilise the constructive work currently taking place between football's real stakeholders to move things forward in the overall best interests of the European club game."
While, the Football Supporters' Association chief executive Kevin Miles likened the European Super League to a twitching corpse on Thursday.
He said: "The walking corpse that is the European Super League twitches again with all the self-awareness one associates with a zombie. Their newest idea is to have an 'open competition' rather than the closed shop they originally proposed that led to huge fan protests. Of course an open competition for Europe's top clubs already exists - it's called the Champions League.
"They say 'dialogue with fans and independent fan groups is essential' yet the European Zombie League marches on - wilfully ignorant to the contempt supporters across the continent have for it."
The English Premier League was approached for comment but referred to its statement from June 2021. A spokesperson said at the time: "We are collectively committed to the Premier League and recognise our responsibility to support it. We will not engage in the creation of new competition formats outside of the Premier League's rules."
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