The European Club Association has confirmed that the nine sides that abandoned the plans to join the rebel Superliga have been welcomed back into the organization.
The 12 teams that expressed their intention to form the Super League in April all left the ECA to push their plans, just for nine of these sides – AC Milan, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Inter, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur – to quickly back off and apologize.
The ECA Board of Directors accepts the clubs’ wish to retain #ECA membership, which means that the clubs are reintegrated into European football. Read more? Https: //t.co/TGFV5PFVXQ
– ECA (@ECAEurope) 16 August 2021
These nine teams have since accepted penalties from UEFA and have agreed to leave the past earlier, and as a further step back to normalcy, the ECA has confirmed that each side has had its membership re-established.
“In its decision, and following an exhaustive process of club reintegration and revaluation of the ECA in recent months, the ECA Board took into account the clubs’ recognition of the so-called European Super League project (” ESL Project “) was not in it wider interests of the football community and their publicly communicated decision to abandon the ESL project completely, ”it said in a statement.
“The ECA Board also acknowledged the clubs’ stated willingness to actively engage with the ECA in their joint mission to develop European club football – in all open and transparent interests, not the few.
“This decision by the ECA Board marks the end of a deplorable and turbulent section for European football and is in line with the ECA’s relentless focus on strengthening unity in European football. Through this period of unprecedented challenge, the ECA has firmly established itself as the only organization through which the leading clubs in Europe can promote and protect their interests in football, while developing the competitive landscape and strengthening the centrality of clubs in the governance of European football.
“ECA can now continue with renewed unity and solidarity to continue the important work required to stabilize and develop European club football – at a time when this is most needed.”
The nine teams have moved on, but the three who are determined to form the Super League – Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid – remain on the outside.
Real President Florentino Perez continues to push for Super League / Quality Sport Images / Getty Images
Despite losing support from all teams on the continent, the three rebel teams continue to fight for the introduction of a Super League, which they believe is necessary to protect the future of football.
They have even taken legal action to prevent UEFA from punishing them for their plans, but Europe’s governing bodies are not interested and plan to be as harsh as possible with their sanctions on the three remaining teams.
