The European Super League is set to be suspended, per CBS Sports insider Fabrizio Romano. The decision comes after several of the major clubs set to be involved with the league backed out following massive backlash from supporters, players, UEFA, FIFA and domestic leagues. The Super League — originally founded with 12 big-name members — released a statement on Tuesday, two days after its official announcement, saying it will “reconsider the most appropriate steps to reshape the project” after all six of the Premier League clubs said they would withdrawal.
Here’s the full statement from the Super League:
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.
Despite the announced departure of the English clubs, forced to take such decisions due the pressure out on them, we are convinced our proposal is fully aligned with European law and regulations as was demonstrated today by a court decision to protect the Super League from third party actions.
Given the current circumstances, we shall reconsider the most appropriate steps to reshape the project, always having in mind our goals of offering fans the best experience possible while enhancing solidarity payments for the entire football community.
The first domino to fall in this process on Tuesday was Chelsea, whose supporters learned of the news of the Blues’ withdrawal during a protest against the Super League. Shortly thereafter it was Manchester City and then the rest of the English clubs slated to be in the Super League — Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur — backing out.
None of the other six members — Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus — officially released a statement, though Romano said that both of the Milan clubs were also planning to leave the project.
Additionally, major clubs that were initially expected to join the new venture, including Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, publicly opposed the Super League.
The European Super League has been in international consciousness for some time now, but officially became a reality on Sunday when 12 clubs announced their intention to break away from Europe’s governing body of soccer, UEFA, and form their own league. The plan was to add three more permanent members, and leave five sports open for an eventual 20-team midweek format.
Almost immediately, fans, pundits and former players and coaches began to express their disdain for this project. Real Madrid chief and Super League chairman Florentino Perez offered rebuttals and snide remarks in response to the negativity in a television interview on Monday, including one comment where he suggested matches were too long.
Now it’s hard to imagine a future for the Super League as things currently stand.
