Not so Super any more: Top 6 clubs drop out of European Super League
European Super League was a proposed football tournament involving some of the giant football clubs in Europe. The competition was supposed to be a breakaway from the regular UEFA Champions League and more extensive in terms of finances, threatening the sport’s credibility.
FollowIn what could be considered a piece of good news for most football fans across the globe, especially Europe, the much-hyped yet controversial European Super League has been abolished. The information comes after late on Tuesday night, six of the founding members from England decided to pull out.
The six English clubs, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, decided to withdraw from the tournament following severe backlash from critics and fans. It also comes after a stern warning from the Union of European Football Associations, Fédération Internationale de Football Association and the United Kingdom government that the clubs could be sanctioned and severely penalised if they decided to participate in the non-approved competition.
“The European Super League is convinced that the current status quo of European football needs to change. We are proposing a new European competition because the existing system does not work. Our proposal is aimed at allowing the sport to evolve while generating resources and stability for the full football pyramid, including helping to overcome the financial difficulties experienced by the entire football community as a result of the pandemic. It would also provide materially enhanced solidarity payments to all football stakeholders,” said ESL in a statement.
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The tournament is currently left with just six members: Three from Italy (AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus) and three from Spain (Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona), who are yet to confirm their withdrawal. It was supposed to be funded by American banking giant JP Morgan for a price of €3.5 billion, while Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez headed the competition.
Meanwhile, a Spanish court has ruled that no action would be taken against the Spanish club involved in the ESL by either UEFA and FIFA, reports AP. Nonetheless, the 15-page ruling by the Spanish court came hours before the withdrawal of the English clubs, subsequently leading to the abolition of the ESL.
