CHELSEA’S Champions League tie with Real Madrid could be postponed, says Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin.
The Slovene is furious with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and not shy of admitting it, making the comments in an interview in Slovenia.
Meanwhile the ill-fated Super League could make way for a British Super League with Rangers and Celtic.
SunSport can exclusively reveal that an offer to the Old Firm to join is top of the list of plans being actively discussed for reform of the Premier League.
That means they would join Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and all the biggest English stars for what would be a massive change to the UK sporting landscape.
Follow ALL of the latest updates below from this developing story…
SUPER LEAGUE ON STANDBY
A reminder that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is not taking no for an answer.
Perez is adamant the European Super League is not a busted flush and simply on hold.
Perez said: “We’re going to continue working. The project is on standby.”
Nothing if not stubborn but will his faith in the failed proposal pay off or is he simply wasting everyone’s time?
LAUGHING STOCK
Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti has admitted he thought it was a joke when he heard about the European Super League announcement.
Ancelotti could not believe what he was hearing after the six Premier League clubs attempted to join the breakaway group.
Carlo Ancelotti could not believe the Super League breakawayCredit: Reuters Ancelotti said: “My immediate reaction was they are joking, this is a joke!”
“It’s a joke because it’s not going to happen. It’s impossible.
“Sport culture in Europe is different to American sports. Not because we are right and they are wrong, but because the culture of the people is different. In America, in the USA, sport is different. Sport is entertainment.”
ONE TO PER-GET
Premier League clubs have no chance of signing Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland without money from the doomed European Super League.
That is the view of deluded Real Madrid president Florentino Perez who is still desperately clinging to the remains of the money-grabbing scheme despite all six English clubs bailing on it already.
Both Manchester United and Chelsea have been linked with Borussia Dortmund ace Haaland.
His agent, the controversial Mino Raiola, even embarked on a world tour to meet prospective clubs interested in the free-scoring sensation.
And Mbappe has been linked with a Paris Saint-Germain exit too.
The France international’s current contract with the Ligue 1 champions expires next summer and talks over a new deal have yet to bear fruit with Manchester City linked.
NO JOSHING
Arsenal director Josh Kroenke WILL appear at an online fans’ forum this afternoon.
The meeting was initially postponed following the European Super League announcement that caused uproar last weekend.
Credit: Getty – Contributor Following passionate protests, the ESL crumbled, but supporters are still demanding answers from those in charge.
The Arsenal Supporters’ Trust demanded that Kroenke or his father Stan be present at the fans’ forum, as it was they who signed off on Tuesday’s ‘apology’.
They tweeted: “Yesterday the AST along with most supporter forum members sent the following to Arsenal: The statement issued by Arsenal clearly signs off as the ‘Arsenal Board’.
“As we know, [chief executive] Vinai Venkatesham is not on the board so who from the board will be joining us on Thursday to apologise and justify their decisions over the last few days?
“We expect Stan Kroenke or Josh Kroenke to be present – and if they really are sorry, they can tell us themselves. It’s been confirmed that JK will be attending. We’ll be telling him exactly what we think!”
DON’T DO IT!
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s aide told the UAE to stop Manchester City playing in the Super League.
The Times reports Lord Udny-Lister, the PM’s special envoy to the Gulf, warned the country’s government that it would damage the relationship with the UK.
City are owned by the Abu Dhabi United group controlled by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan – UAE deputy PM.
It highlights how desperate Johnson was to derail the breakaway and highly controversial league.
Credit: AFP HARRY UP!
SunSport understands Tottenham striker Harry Kane is winning his race to be fit for the Carabao Cup final against Man City on Sunday.
Kane sat out the 2-1 win over Southampton, as 29-year-old Ryan Mason took charge for the first time after Jose Mourinho’s sacking.
BARC FOR GOOD?
Barcelona will put the Super League to a vote of their members, president Joan Laporta confirmed.
Laporta told TV3: We have a position of prudence. It is a necessity (the Super League), but the last word will be from the members. We big clubs add a lot of resources and we must talk about the division of money.
“It must be an attractive competition, based on sporting merits. We are in favor of the national leagues and we are open to a frank dialogue with UEFA. We need more resources to make this a great show. I believe there will be an understanding.”
It comes as Laporta’s Real Madrid counterpart Florentino Perez slammed the idea, saying: “Do I have to ask the fans every time I sign a player?”
The Dirty DozenCredit: AFP LACA OPTIONS
Mikel Arteta will have to make do without Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette against Everton on Friday night.
Arsenal host the Toffees for the 8pm kick-off without the bulk of their first-choice frontline.
Here’s how the Gunners could line up.
BRIT’S A WINNER
Fans have thrown their support behind the proposed British Super League.
SunSport exclusively revealed last night that plans were in place for Celtic and Rangers to join an 18-team British top-flight after the European Super League crumbled.
IT’S NOT FINE
Uefa are reportedly considering slapping sanction on the dirty dozen after their attempts to breakaway and start the Super League.
The Guardian reports Uefa are increasingly more inclined to punish the 12 sides involved.
President Aleksander Ceferin has warned the rebel teams that they will ‘suffer the consequences’ of ‘their mistake’.
Punishments could extend to bans from the Champions League next season but it remains to be seen if or what is handed down to the sides.
MEN IN BLUE
Chelsea are in a four-way transfer battle for wonderkid Gabriel Menino, according to reports.
The Brazilian has attracted interest with his ‘great technical qualities’ while playing for Palmeiras.
The Blues are long-standing admirers of Menino, and have been linked with making a £17million swoop.
But now they’ve got competition.
According to Calciomercato, Tottenham are also interested in the gifted midfielder, who can play at right-back.
Menino starred as his side won the Copa Libertadores last year, being selected in the official team of the tournament.
Credit: Getty STRONGER UNITED?
Bruno Fernandes has revealed he’ll sign a new contract at Manchester United – but only if Paul Pogba does too.
However, that might not be quite as good news as fans would have first thought.
After all, according to the stats, United are better all over the pitch when at least one of them is NOT playing.
SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST
Scottish champions Rangers would survive their first season in the British Premier League – but Celtic would be RELEGATED, according to Jamie O’Hara.
SunSport exclusively revealed the Scottish giants are wanted down south as part of a new-look Premier League.
The radical move would put Glasgow’s big two on a level financial playing field with the rest of England’s top-flight and see them wave goodbye to Scottish football.
Rangers and Celtic’s dreams of moving south have been blocked in the past – and they would still require the backing of at least 14 Premier League clubs, plus the FA and SFA.
But crucially, the cross-border league would receive the backing of Fifa, Uefa and the UK Government – with an exclusive SunSport poll revealing more fans want it than don’t.
O’Hara told talkSPORT: “Right now, if they got put in tomorrow, I think Rangers would survive, they would stay up.
“If you put them in the Premier League now I think Rangers would stay up with Steven Gerrard in charge. They’ve had a great season. Celtic would go down, I’d put them up for relegation.”
Credit: The Sun SELL BY DATE
One of the Big Six owners is reportedly close to putting the club up for sale.
All the mega rich owners have been slammed in the wake of the Super League debacle.
And Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol reports one is ready to quit the club and cash in.
RICCI RICH
Arsenal are reportedly in competition with Leicester in the race to sign Empoli starlet Samuele Ricci in the summer.
The 19-year-old midfielder has impressed for the Serie B outfit this term – chipping in with two goals and four assists in 29 league matches.
And according to Tuttomercatoweb, his performances haven’t gone unnoticed as the Gunners and Foxes look to bring him to England.
They state that both clubs have made contact with the player’s agent about a potential move at the end of the season.
And Empoli may be forced to cash in on the Italy youth international to avoid losing him on a free in 2022 when his contract expires.
Understood to be one of Italy’s most promising talents, Ricci has been a key player for the Blues since breaking into the first-team in September 2019.
It has been suggested that Empoli could be willing to do business should they receive a fee in the region of £10million.
Credit: Getty
TAMMY BUG
Chelsea outcast Tammy Abraham has been linked with a return to Aston Villa with the striker ‘sad and angry’ at the Blues.
The striker has fallen out of favour since Thomas Tuchel took over from Frank Lampard in January and a Villa Park reunion is reportedly on the cards.
Abraham, 23, has not played for the Blues since February and he wasn’t even in the squad for Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final win against Manchester City.
The England ace does not appear to be in Tuchel’s plans and his spot in Gareth Southgate’s Euros squad is undoubtedly at risk given his lack of game time.
As a result, his old club Villa are keeping tabs on the situation ahead of a potential summer move, according to the Birmingham Mail.
Abraham scored 26 goals in 40 games on loan at Villa to help fire the club back to the Premier League in the 2018-19 season.
He is said to retain several admirers at Villa Park with Dean Smith expected to target attacking reinforcements at the end of this campaign.
Credit: EPA ED’S ROLLED
Gary Lineker claimed he knows Ed Woodward resigned because of his belief in the football pyramid.
Manchester United’s executive vice-chairman announced on Monday he will leave the club by the end of 2021.
The news came shortly before the controversial Super League crumbled with all Big Six clubs withdrawing from the widely-panned project.
Woodward praised his club in a statement, saying: “I am extremely proud to have served United and it has been an honour to work for the world’s greatest football club for the past 16 years.”
He added that it will be “difficult to walk away at the end of the year” but that he is “proud of the regeneration of the club’s culture”.
Credit: PA PEOPLE’S CLUBS
Government officials are considering mandating English football to adopt the German model of majority fan ownership.
Bundesliga teams must ensure at least a 51 per cent stake in the club is held by supporters – although there are exceptions.
The German FA (DFB) does not allow any side where more than 49 per cent is owned by private investors to compete, unless they can meet strict rules.
For example, 75 per cent of Bayern Munich is owned by the supporters’ club and members vote on its president, with the remaining 25 per cent split between Audi, Adidas and Allianz.
Any team owned by a single person or company was typically formed by that entity, such as car manufacturer Volkswagen, who founded top-flight club Wolfsburg in 1945.
Should an investor hope to take majority control of a club, they need to have consistently invested for 20 years such as Hoffenheim chief Dietmar Hopp.
Software magnate Hopp has nonetheless faced huge criticism from rival clubs for guiding the historically small club to European football.
Introducing such a system to English football is being mooted following the European Super League debacle.
Credit: Getty SORRY STATE
Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke and CEO Vinai Venkatesham have apologised to boss Mikel Arteta and the club’s players following the Super League debacle.
Arteta was asked if the bigwigs had said sorry at his press conference today and he replied: “Yes. Starting from Vinai, the ownership and everybody that is involved in the process.
“All of them, with the right intentions to defend the club and put the club in the best possible position for now and for the future, but accepting that the way it’s been handled has had terrible consequences and that it was a mistake.
“I really have to respect that when people have genuine intentions to do the best for this football club. But if it doesn’t happen or not the right thing to do, they can stand up here and apologise.
“I’m speaking for myself and I think the players, staff, everybody working at the club, we have to accept that and move on. The way it’s been handled has been really good internally.”
He was pressed on if the Kroenkes had also apologised and added: “Yes, absolutely. Obviously they have the maximum responsibility of running the football club and this is what they said.
“They apologised for disturbing the team, not having the capacity or ability to communicate in a different way earlier and explain the reasons why.
“They wanted me to pass on the message to the players. That’s all you can ask for. The way they’ve done it, I have to accept it completely.”
Arsenal majority shareholder Stan KroenkeCredit: Getty GET A GRIP
Florentino Perez continues to cling on to his European Super League dream despite nine clubs pulling out.
And the Real Madrid president sensationally claimed protests from Chelsea fans were STAGED.
He told Spanish radio show El Larguero: “If anyone thinks the Super League is dead, are they wrong? Absolutely.
“We’re going to keep working and what everyone thinks is for the best will emerge.
“The project is on standby. The Super League still exists.”
Perez then unbelievably suggested ‘somebody placed’ the Chelsea fans to start the protest.
He said: “Who brought those Chelsea fans to protest? Someone moved them.”
Credit: Reuters HAAL OR NOTHING
Manchester United’s hopes of signing Erling Haaland this summer have been hit after Borussia Dortmund’s sporting director Michael Zorc insisted their star man will stay.
Just hours after United’s humiliating European Super League about-turn, they have been handed another hammer blow.
Dortmund chief Michael Zorc says that the 20-year-old striker won’t be moving anywhere – even if the Germans miss out on Champions League qualification.
Speaking to Sky Germany, Zorc said: “We made a clear statement about the Haaland cause.
“The decision will not be made without Borussia Dortmund. No matter where we end up, Erling will continue to play for us.”
FAN FURY
Manchester United fans today broke into the club’s training complex to protest against the failed European Super League project – armed with a banner which read ‘We decide when you play’.
Around 20 furious supporters targeted the Aon training complex in Carrington this morning – just hours before the first team squad were due in for training.
A Manchester United spokesman addressed the situation, confirming that boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had spoken to protesters: “At approximately 9am this morning a group gained access to the club training ground.
“The manager and others spoke to them. Buildings were secure and the group has now left the site.”
Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher are also understood to have spoken to fans.
Credit: Twitter @RedIssue Credit: Twitter @RedIssue Credit: Twitter @RedIssue FOR REAL?
Real Madrid chief and Super League chairman Florentino Perez slammed Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin’s claims next week’s Champions League semi-final against Chelsea could be called OFF.
Ceferin said there was a ‘relatively small chance’ the game may not take place in wake of the Super League scandal.
But Perez snapped back at the claims.
He said: “Why Ceferin says that there is a small chance that Real Madrid – Chelsea won’t be played?
“Why? I don’t understand.”
Credit: PA GAME OFF?
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin hinted Chelsea’s Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid may be called OFF.
The football world is reeling in the wake of the rise and fall of the Super League this week.
And Ceferin told Slovenian outlet 24ur.com: “The key is that the season has already started, the key is for the television to claim damages against us if we don’t play the semi-finals.
“Therefore, there is a relatively small chance that this match will not take place next week. But it will be a little different in the future.”
Credit: Getty GLAZED OVER
Manchester United fans have BLOCKED both entrances to the club’s Carrington training complex as they protest against the Glazers.
The American owners have had an uneasy relationship with the supporters for years, with debts having mounted and Old Trafford being allowed to rust.
And the Super League debacle has sparked a fresh wave of discontent.
Chelsea fans barricaded stars from entering Stamford Bridge prior to their match with Brighton on Wednesday night.
And United supporters have followed suit, blocking the entrance to the Red Devils’ AON Training Complex at Carrington.
Banners featured the slogans ‘Glazers Out’ and ’51& MUFC’, likely advocating for Germany’s 50+1 fan ownership rule.
Fans holding up signs of protest made it onto the first team training pitch.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
