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In light of the continuing loud opposition, especially from fan groups, leagues, clubs and player representatives, it seems that the European Court of Justice’s decision issued yesterday, Thursday, regarding the European Super League project to split from the Champions League will not be able to change the football scene in the Old Continent, at least in the near future.
If the position issued by both the European Football Association (UEFA) and its international counterpart (FIFA) was completely expected since they are the other party in the conflict, then the pressure, imposed by fans in particular and representatives of players and clubs and to a lesser extent the leagues, warns that the European Super League project will not see the light. almost.
The European Court of Justice ruled on Thursday that the measures taken by FIFA and UEFA to obstruct the establishment of the Super League violate European Union laws.
The European Court of Justice noted that “the rules of FIFA and UEFA that make any new football project between clubs subject to their prior approval, such as the Super League, and prevent clubs and players from playing in those competitions, are illegal.”
The summary of the ruling stressed that it does not necessarily mean that the Super League project should be licensed at the present time, but only that FIFA and UEFA are “abusing their positions” to dominate the football market.
🚨 Clubs that have publicly REJECTED the new Super League format:
🏴 Manchester United
🏴 Manchester City
🏴 Tottenham
🏴 Chelsea
🏴 Celtic
🇵🇹 Porto
🇪🇸 Sevilla
🇪🇸 Valencia
🇪🇸 Atletico Madrid
🇪🇸 Real Sociedad
🇪🇸 Villarreal
🇩🇪 Bayern
🇩🇪 Dortmund
🇨🇵 PSG
🇨🇵 Monaco
🇮🇹 Inter— European Super League (@superleagueaaHQ) December 21, 2023
Equal opportunities
UEFA was quick to respond that the court’s decision does not mean supporting the launch of the new competition, adding, “This ruling does not mean approval or ratification of the so-called European Super League, but rather highlights the deficiency that already exists in UEFA’s prior authorization framework, which is a technical aspect that has already been recognized.” It will be addressed in June 2022 with the adoption of new laws.”
The Continental Confederation is largely correct in its assessment of the court’s decision, as the ruling did not support the Super League because it recognized “the specific context of professional football,” with the importance of “sporting merit” and “ensuring a certain level of equality of opportunity,” which are rules that are not applied in the system. A closed tournament whose parties have been previously determined, regardless of its position in its local leagues.
But that did not prevent I22 Sports Management, the company promoting the European Super League, from quickly revealing its proposal to hold a men’s competition that includes 64 teams and is divided into 3 sections.
It stated that participation in these three divisions will be “based on sporting merit,” with no permanent members, and with the clubs remaining committed to local leagues, according to its CEO, Bernd Reichart.
With the exception of Spanish Real Madrid and Barcelona, which were the basis for launching a project that initially included 12 clubs when it was unveiled in April 2021, it is not yet clear who currently supports this plan?
As soon as the European Court of Justice announced its decision, the clubs rushed to support UEFA as the regulating framework for the game on the continent, including those who were not convinced of the new form of the Champions League, which will begin starting next season.
UEFA revealed the new system immediately after the launch of the Super League for the first time in April 2021, and it faced criticism from several parties, but there is almost consensus now that the current system of European football under the UEFA umbrella is better than anything promoted by those in charge of the “Super League.” “.
Within hours of Thursday’s European Court of Justice judgment on the Super League case, clubs, leagues, stakeholders and fan associations voiced their unanimous support for the principles of the European sports model.
Read the reaction: ⬇️
— UEFA (@UEFA) December 22, 2023
A united front against the Super League
This united front against the European Super League project was presented during a virtual press conference hosted by UEFA yesterday, Thursday, and included representatives of the European Club Association and the European Leagues Association, which includes more than a thousand clubs from 31 countries, the players’ union (FIFPro), and representatives of fan groups.
“Real Madrid and Barcelona will not save European football, and we do not have to pay the price for their financial mismanagement,” said Ronan Ivain, executive director of the European Football Fans Association, adding, “It would be better for everyone if the (Super League) promoters surrendered now.”
“The players have already said that they are unanimously against this matter,” said David Terrier, president of the European players’ union (FIFPro Europe).
The launch of the project was aborted last April, in particular, due to the opposition of English fans, who forced Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham to withdraw from it.
The English Premier League does not, in any case, want to see its major clubs become part of a breakaway continental championship, and said Thursday that it is “committed to the clear principles of open competition that support the success of local and international club competitions.”
An opportunity to improve laws
The British government earlier this year published a plan to create an independent football regulatory body with powers to prevent clubs from joining breakaway leagues.
German giant Bayern Munich remains against the idea of the Super League, as does French Paris Saint-Germain, headed by Qatari Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who also heads the European Club Association.
“Paris Saint-Germain totally and completely rejects any plans for a so-called Super League, which has been the case since day one and always will be.
As a proud European institution, PSG supports the principles of the European sporting model, the values… pic.twitter.com/firty0A5Cq
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) December 21, 2023
Even Spain’s Atletico Madrid, which was among the 12 clubs that launched the project, said it is now against this idea.
All this support was in favor of UEFA and its Slovenian president, Aleksander Ceferin, who seemed comfortable to the point of mocking Real Madrid and Barcelona, saying on Thursday, “I hope their wonderful tournament will start with the participation of two teams,” adding, “We will not try to stop them. They can create what they want.”
Ceferin considered the court’s decision “an opportunity to improve our laws” and that “the court accepts that UEFA maintains its role as a regulator,” and “most of all it did not approve of the Super League.”
The fight between FIFA and UEFA
In turn, Liverpool’s German coach, Jurgen Klopp, said that he 100% supports his team’s decision to reject the idea of indulging in a breakaway Super League competition from the Champions League, stressing at the same time that he is happy that the football authorities were subjected to a “shock” from the European Court of Justice.
Liverpool joined 11 clubs, including 6 from the English Premier League, to create a new competition called the European Super League in 2021, but the new project quickly collapsed before it could see the light.
The Reds, second in the English Premier League (38 points), were quick to confirm on Friday in a statement that their participation in the Super League had “stopped,” while Klopp, who was speaking before facing leaders Arsenal on Saturday in the eighteenth round, supported his club’s move, saying, “I agree 100% with this.” Statement”.
He continued, “But I am happy that we have finally reached some level of understanding that FIFA, UEFA and other bodies cannot do what they want.”
The former Borussia Dortmund coach added, “In the future we have to talk about a lot of things, and if we only comply with the decisions they make, such as organizing more competitions and playing more matches, without being able to express our opinion, then I would prefer them to be subjected to a shock.”
🎙️ Jürgen Klopp on the Super League: “I agree 100% with the statement and the verdict.
I also like that we get an understanding that UEFA and other FAs can’t just do what they want… putting in more games with people having no say in it.
I like that UEFA and more got a bit of a… pic.twitter.com/HNV0xKVu3y
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) December 22, 2023
Liverpool, the six-time European champion, said in a statement – in response to what was issued by the European Court of Justice – “The ruling of the European Court of Justice does not change Liverpool’s previous position regarding the proposed European Super League. We have made the decision not to participate.”
He continued, “We will continue to work with other clubs through the European Club Association and participate in UEFA competitions.”
