The European Club Association has released a statement criticizing the proposed European Super League.
ECA represents more than 200 professional clubs from across the continent, including all 12 sites that are said to be pushing for a breakthrough competition. The organization is also led by Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli, one of the supposed driving forces behind the Super League.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is a key supporter of the European Super League | Soccrates Images / Getty Images
ECA has recently pushed UEFA to change the Champions League format and in a statement they reaffirmed their commitment to this, while denying that they are in favor of a breaking league.
“In light of today’s reports of a so-called breakaway league, ECA, as a body representing 246 leading clubs across Europe, reiterates its stated commitment to work on developing the UEFA Club Competition (UCCs) model with UEFA for Cycle Start 2024 and that a” closed super league model “to which media articles refer would not be strongly opposed by the ECA,” it said.
However, more can happen than here. As reported by Tariq Panja, ECA held an emergency meeting on Sunday that was not attended by most of the club’s passionate people for the European Super League. The Court of Auditors will convene again on Monday and it is possible that these rebel clubs may leave the organization to push the plans for the Super League forward.
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– ECA (@ECAEurope) April 18, 2021
The Daily Mail has reported that the project is the brainchild of Real Madrid president Florentino Perez with things that will be funded by JP Morgan. The American owners of Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal are also said to be strongly involved. JP Morgan is believed to be pumping a massive £ 4.6 billion into the project, which will be set against future shipping revenues.
The plans have largely been condemned over football. The Premier League, PFA and the Football Supporters Association are just some of the institutions that are critical of the project. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson has even become involved and labeled the breakaway league as “very harmful” to English football.
UEFA has also threatened sanctions and claims that all sides that break out will be banned from the Champions League. In addition, the clubs would also need permission from their own domestic divisions, which seems extremely unlikely.
