Football, as we know it, has been shaken to the ground with the revelation that some of the game’s biggest teams are planning to form their own breakaway competition called the Super League.
It threatens to be the biggest change in club football in recent memory, while the fallout off the field looks to be massive. There is a lot to wrap your head around.
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Here are all the important things you need to know about the Super League.
? The official statement from ‘ESL’ (European Super League) … pic.twitter.com/wIaHSFiShG
– 90min (@ 90min_Football) 19 April 2021
After years of flirting with the idea, 12 of Europe’s biggest teams have now finally come out and confirmed their intentions to leave the Champions League and form their own competition in the middle of the week, to be called the Super League.
The plans would see the formation of an annual 20-team competition consisting of 15 founding members and another five teams that would qualify for the tournament through their domestic leagues.
Leading European football clubs announce new Super League competition.
– Liverpool FC (@LFC) 18 April 2021
Currently, only 12 teams have agreed to be part of the Super League.
From England: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham have all expressed their intention to join.
Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are Spain’s representatives, with Juventus, Inter and AC Milan taking the remaining three places.
Bayern, PSG and Dortmund have all said no | Matthias Hangst / Getty Images
The hope was that the German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund and Champions League semi-finalists Paris Saint-Germain would also agree to join, but the three sides have rejected the plans.
As noted by The Athletic, PSG executives view joining the plan as disrespectful. Club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi was promoted to the role of president of UEFA’s European Club Association following the departure of Juventus Andrea Agnelli.
Dortmund chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke said: “It was clear the ECA board’s view that plans to establish a Super League were rejected.
“Both German clubs represented on the ECA board, FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, represented 100% coherent views in all discussions.”
Perez is the new chairman | Samuel de Roman / Getty Images
Leading the new competition is Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, who has been confirmed as chairman of the Super League.
He will be assisted by Manchester United co-chairman Joel Glazer and Juventus Andrea Agnelli, both of whom will serve as vice-presidents.
JP Morgan has confirmed to Reuters that they are financing the erupting Super League.
– Simon Evans (@sgevans) April 19, 2021
US investment giants JP Morgan have confirmed to Reuters that they are ready to finance the new Super League.
While JP Morgan has not discussed figures, ESPN estimates that the company’s investments are worth close to £ 4.3 billion.
Arsenal’s death as a sports institution https://t.co/0S2UFwtkFC
– AST (@AST_arsenal) April 18, 2021
Overwhelmingly bad.
UEFA has already threatened legal action against those sites that try to leave, in addition to potentially banning them from both domestic and international competitions in the future. Not only would teams be banned from their regular leagues, but players could also be blocked from competing at the World Cup and European Championships.
There has also been a huge backlash from fans, many of whom have gone so far as to say that the announcement has “killed football”.
This party believes they can sweep up £ 300 million more each season than the other teams and then walk back on a Saturday and play with that advantage in the PL. Deduction points, large fines and embargo transfers. I hope they have not bought any of the other 14 clubs. #stopthesuperleague
– Gary Neville (@ GNev2) April 19, 2021
Former United defender and current Sky Sports speculator Gary Neville embarked on a fantastic run live on air during United’s 3-1 win over Burnley, with fans everywhere praising him for his approach.
“I hate Manchester United and Liverpool the most,” he said. “Liverpool, they pretend -” You will never go alone, the people’s club, the fan club. “Manchester United, 100 years old, are carried out by workers from here and they break into a league without competition from which they can not be moved? an absolute shame.
“It’s pure greed. They are deceivers. There are 100 years of history in this country from fans who loved these clubs and they need to be protected.
“Manchester United are not even in the Champions League. Arsenal are not even in the Champions League – they are an absolute confusion of a football club right now. Tottenham are not in the Champions League.
“Do they have a god given the right to be in there? Honestly, the time has now come to get an independent regulator and stop these clubs from having a power base. That’s enough.”
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