THE European Super League has set out new plans to replace the Champions League with a 60 to 80-team competition.The latest idea would see each club involved play a minimum of 14 games per season, with no permanent members.
Protests across England led to the downfall of the European Super LeagueCredit: Getty
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has been one of the leading voices behind the idea for a European Super LeagueCredit: EPA
The announcement was made by European sports development company A22 – a Madrid-based sister company of the European Super League.
It comes amid an ongoing legal dispute between Uefa and the three remaining teams in the ESL – Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus – an idea which was quashed within three days by fan protests in April 2021.
A22 claim the idea for the formation of the new competition comes after discussions with clubs around Europe about their economic difficulties.
However, it is not yet known how Real, Barca or Juventus would make way for new teams within the structure, or even who would run the league.
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A22 have slammed Uefa and outlined the basis for their “10 principles for a European football league”.
They said: “A European football league should be an open, multi-divisional competition with 60 to 80 teams, allowing for sustainable distribution of revenues across the pyramid.
“Participation should be based on annual sporting merit and there should be no permanent members.
“Open qualification based on domestic performance would grant rising clubs access to the competition while maintaining competitive dynamics at domestic level.”
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It is a huge U-turn from the original principles which would have seen the “Founding Partners” sharing a £3bn windfall for being in at the start of the breakaway and guaranteed £130m minimum each season.
The original Super League members were Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Man Utd, Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham.
A22 went on to add: “Clubs also need greater stability and predictability in annual revenues so they can make sensible, long-term commitments to player and infrastructure expenditures.
“Substantial improvements in the format and attractiveness of the current European competitions would generate additional resources.
“Stability and predictability in revenues would be dramatically improved by offering clubs a minimum of 14 guaranteed European matches each season.”
Reichart went on to claim a new format would also support domestic leagues, women’s football, the fans, financial sustainability, and the health of the players.
And Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has claimed previously that there would be greater solidarity payments for clubs not competing in Europe.
The publication of the “principles” brought scoffing and dismissal from Spain’s La Liga.
La Liga chief executive Javier Tebas published a cartoon picturing Super League as the Big Bad Wolf and European football as Little Red Riding Hood.
Tebas said: “Super League is the wolf, who disguises himself as a granny to try to fool European football.
“But his nose and his teeth are very big.
“Four divisions in Europe? Of course the first is just for them, as in the 2019 plan.
“Government by the clubs? Yes, of course – but only by the big ones.”
It is understood the ESL is keen to address the dominance of the Premier League given its power when it comes to television rights and activity in the transfer market.
Last year, Uefa revealed plans for a new Champions League structure which will consist of 36 teams in a single division playing ten group-stage matches – a format that will come into force at the start of the 2024/25 campaign.
But the European organisation’s dispute with the Super League is continuing to rumble on.
In December, Uefa were handed a boost by the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg when advocate-general Athanasios Rantos’ advice sided with the European body.
Rantos found that EU competition law was in line with the restrictions Uefa and Fifa possess over football.
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He went on to state the governing body’s power was “proportionate” for achieving Uefa’s “legitimate objectives” in accordance with EU policy.
Rantos’ advice is not binding to ECJ judges but is often followed. More
