THE European Super League is OVER, according to ringleader Andrea Agnelli.
The proposed breakaway tournament was left in tatters on Tuesday night after ALL six Premier League clubs withdrew following fan backlash.
Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid followed suit on Wednesday morning, with AC Milan doing so in the early afternoon.
Barcelona are set to join them it’s claimed, leaving just TWO of the original 12 clubs – Juventus and Real Madrid.
And on Wednesday morning, Juventus chairman Agnelli – who, along with Real Madrid chief Florentino Perez, was seen as a ringleader for the project – admitted there was no way the tournament could still go ahead.
Asked if the ESL would happen, Agnelli admitted defeat, saying: “To be frank and honest, no. Evidently that is not the case.”
His words came just 12 hours after he claimed the European Super League was ‘moving forward’ despite Premier League clubs withdrawing.
Shortly before an emergency meeting on Tuesday night, Agnelli told La Repubblica: “There is a blood pact binding our clubs together.
“The Super League project has a 100 per cent likelihood of success.
“We are moving forward.”
Eaerlier on Wednesday morning, European Super League chiefs claimed the competition would still go ahead despite the setback in a statement.
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It read: “The European Super League is convinced 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.
“[This includes] 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.”
Released after the Premier League clubs’ withdrawal, the statement continued by slamming fan pressure and admitting the European Super League would now need to be ‘reshaped’.
It read: “Despite the announced departure of the English clubs, forced to take such decisions due to pressure put on them, we are convinced our proposal is fully aligned with European law and regulations.
“[That] was demonstrated 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.”
Following the news of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham’s withdrawal, more clubs began to drop out.
Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan both called time on the project within minutes of each other on Wednesday morning before AC Milan following around lunch-time.
Barcelona are set to follow, according to numerous reports in Europe.
That would leave just Real Madrid and Juventus as ‘founding members’.
However, even Juventus admitted there were ‘reduced possibilities’ for the tournament now.
And given Agnelli’s pessimistic stance on the European Super League’s future, it appears the breakaway league has been scrapped.
As yet, there has been no official announcement from tournament bosses.
But the English Football League ‘welcomed’ the decision in a statement.
A statement read: “The EFL is heartened by the response.
“We remain proud to be part of a unified footballing system that promotes open competition, gives everybody a chance to dream and continues to inspire generations of young people in the communities from where our Clubs take their name.
“The message is clear that the pyramid must be protected above all.
“The European Super League failed in part due to a model of distorted and unfair financial distributions, a criticism that can also be levelled at the current financial model in our own domestic game.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
