European Super League

LALIGA chief Javier Tebas is the latest high-profile name to slam the European Super League plans. Tebas also hit out at ‘clueless’ Real Madrid president Florentino Perez following his remarkable statement on the new plans.
Javier Tebas has hit out at Real Madrid president Florentino PerezCredit: AP

Perez, the prime driver of the £4.6billion project, became the first of the 12 breakaway club owners to speak publicly about the plans in a TV interview in Spain.
In his statement, he suggested games could be shortened to accommodate the younger generation, supporters are losing interest in football, and that it would ‘save football.’
But Tebas, like the vast majority of those involved in football, has fired a scathing response and instead called it the ‘death of football.’
He posted on Twitter: “In December 2020 I said that Florentino Perez was pretty clueless, but right now he’s lost.
“Football isn’t completely ruined like he says, nor is the Super League, which is one of the problems, the solution… it’s the death of football.”
Alongside the comment, he wrote the hashtags “bad excuse” and “Florentino Perez the saviour, no thanks”.
Barcelona, Real and Atletico Madrid are the three Spanish clubs eager to form a breakaway league.
Failing to explain why the Super League is a positive step in modern-day football, Perez said: “Football has to evolve, like companies and people.
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Florentino Perez is the ring-leader in the plans to commence the Super LeagueCredit: AP

“Networks have changed the way they behave and football has to change and adapt to the times we live in.
“Fans are losing interest in football. There are many poor quality matches and the younger people are not interested.
“Audiences are decreasing and rights are decreasing and something had to be done.
“After the pandemic as well, which has cost clubs £4.3bn and Real Madrid £350million, we are all ruined.
“But football is global. These 12 teams, as well as a few more, have fans all over the world.
“We need to create something to make them put down their tablets and start watching football again.
“I do not own Real Madrid. We are a football club and we are doing this to save football, which is in a critical moment.
“Whenever there is a change, there are always people who oppose it.
“But what we want to do is play among the greats, competitively, so more resources are generated.
“One of the assets of this project is that it will save football, in general.

“It is not a league for the rich, it is a league to save football, save the most modest teams, because, without it, football will disappear.
“At the moment, in the Champions League, there are too many poor quality games.
“Barcelona against Manchester City is far more entertaining than City against a more modest Champions League team.
“What does the whole world demand? We have fans all over the world who want competitive football to watch.”
He added to El Chiringuito: “If young people say football matches are too long, maybe it’s because that match isn’t too interesting.
“Maybe we have to shorten the length of matches.”
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GARY LINEKER has vowed to ‘never work on the European Super League’ if it comes into being.And he has also blasted former club Barcelona for agreeing to the controversial plans.
Gary Lineker has vowed never to work on anything regarding the European Super LeagueCredit: Getty
To be clear: if it actually happens, I will never work on this European Super League.— Gary Lineker 💙 (@GaryLineker) April 20, 2021

The BBC and BT Sport pundit made it clear he would not be part of the ESL circus should it come to fruition following Sunday night’s announcement which has sent shockwaves throughout football.
The Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ have all signed up to Florentino Perez’s brainchild, which would see a closed-shop European league created for 12 of the continent’s biggest names.
The ‘Dirty Dozen’ is comprised of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City, Man United and Tottenham.
Joining them are Spanish trio Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid, as well as Italians AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus.
Other clubs, football fans and pundits have since joined forces to condemn the move, which would end competition in domestic leagues and bring about further financial instability following the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.
Match of the Day host Lineker was one of the first high-profile personalities to react to the news when it was officially announced around 11.15pm on Sunday night.
And he now claims he will not take part in anything to do with the European Super League, pledging a vow on Twitter.
Lineker wrote: “To be clear, if it actually happens, I will never work on this European Super League.”
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Come on @FCBarcelona, you’re so much better than this. This is not what you’re about. You’re Més Que Un Club. Prove that’s still true.— Gary Lineker 💙 (@GaryLineker) April 20, 2021

The former England striker also took aim at old side Barcelona, where he scored 52 goals in 137 games.
He added: “Come on Barcelona, you’re so much better than this. This is not what you’re about. You’re Mes Que Un Club. Prove that’s still true.”
Writing earlier on social media, Lineker also said: “Looking forward to the compromise with UEFA and the clubs, which, I can sense, is what this is all been designed for. A power play.
“Football is nothing without its fans. We’ve seen that clearly over the last 12 months.
“If fans stand as one against this anti-football pyramid scheme, it can be stopped in its tracks.”

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Lineker also praised Liverpool’s James Milner for speaking out against the ESL following yesterday’s 1-1 draw at Leeds.
Lineker added: “Well played James Milner in speaking out against the ESL. It’s not easy for the players to go against the owners.
“They’ve been placed in an invidious position. I’m sure all the players feel the same. If they stand together with their fans it will always be remembered.
“One issues I’m very uncomfortable with is the threats towards players not being allowed to play for their national team.
“The players have nothing to do with this and should not be punished in this way. These owners don’t care about international football anyway.”
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BILL SHANKLY’S grandson wants the statue of Liverpool’s most famous manager removed from Anfield over the European Super League plot.Chris Carline believes Shankly would be “spinning in his grave” over the betrayal of the club’s history, fans and the legend’s own values.
Bill Shankly believed in bringing Liverpool closer to fans, so grandson Chris Carline is ‘appalled’ that the club is part of the European Super League plansCredit: Getty
Fans paraded this banner over Liverpool’s 1-1 Prem draw at Leeds on Monday
One of British football’s greatest-ever managers, Bill Shankly, believed in the polar opposite to the ESL’s money-making ethos, says grandson Chris CarlineCredit: Getty
Carline, who runs the  Shankly Foundation charity, is  “appalled and embarrassed” that Liverpool are joining the 12-team, closed-shop League of rich European clubs.
As protests from supporters and football authorities against the scheme mount, the 39-year-old told the Liverpool Echo: “It’s not an understatement to say he would be spinning in his grave at the situation.
“It couldn’t be further removed from his ethos.
“Given the chance I’d happily see the statue removed.
“What hurts most is that Liverpool has a history and a tradition, created by him, of doing things the right way and to be one of the six clubs pushing for this move is unacceptable.”
Carline, a director of the city’s Shanklin Hotel, added:  “I’m appalled and embarrassed.
“The words he made the people happy are emblazoned on that statue and he did just that.
“He saw it as his mission to give the hard working fans some release at the end of a six day working week.

“He wanted to bring them joy as a reward for their hard work and he obviously achieved that.
“But this new competition goes against the grain of that ethos.
“I feel sorry for Jurgen Klopp, for the players because they have not been consulted about this and obviously the fans haven’t been spoken to.
“The owners have met in secret and have come to this decision based on greed.”

Klopp and Liverpool skipper James Milner have both spoken out against the ESL scheme since it was suddenly announced on Monday morning.
Klopp said: “It’s a tough one, people are not happy with it and I understand that but I can’t say a lot more because we were not involved in any processes – not the players, not me, we didn’t know about it.”
And ex-England star Milner was even more blunt: “I don’t like it and hopefully it doesn’t happen.”
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MARCUS RASHFORD appears opposed to the European Super League after posting an image on social media that read ‘football is nothing without fans’.The England forward who plays for Manchester United – one of the 12 confirmed ‘founding members’ of the ESL – shared a photo of a quote from legendary Red Devils manager Matt Busby.
Rashford is one of the first players to publicly condemn the ESLCredit: PA

The photo attached to the tweet simply read: “Football is nothing without fans – Sir Matt Busby.”
It comes after both Leeds striker Patrick Bamford and Liverpool midfielder James Milner criticised the ESL format after their 1-1 draw on Monday night.
And Reds boss Jurgen Klopp also insisted his view of the European Super League has not changed from when he slammed the idea in 2019.
Meanwhile, the Premier League released an official statement on Tuesday rubbishing the plan.
It read: “The Premier League, alongside The FA, met with clubs today to discuss the immediate implications of the Super League proposal.
“The 14 clubs at the meeting unanimously and vigorously rejected the plans for the competition.
“The Premier League is considering all actions available to prevent it from progressing, as well as holding those Shareholders involved to account under its rules. 
“The League will continue to work with key stakeholders including fan groups, Government, UEFA, The FA, EFL, PFA and LMA to protect the best interests of the game and call on those clubs involved in the proposed competition to cease their involvement immediately.  
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“The Premier League would like to thank fans and all stakeholders for the support they have shown this week on this significant issue.
“The reaction proves just how much our open pyramid and football community means to people.”
Rashford, 23, has previous for standing up for what he believes in.
Last year, the Man Utd star forced Prime Minister Boris Johnson to make a u-turn on goverment policy and provide £15 a week free school meals vouchers for poor kids in the UK.
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SPURS chairman Daniel Levy is “shaken” by the Super league backlash.In a stunning act of contrition he told Brighton chief executive Paul Barber to pass on details of a conversation they had before the 14 clubs left out of the breakaway met with League chief Richard Masters.
Daniel Levy has been left ‘shaken’ by the European Super League backlashCredit: PA

In a message that left the clubs increasingly confident they have the rebels on the run and will be able to kill off the proposals within days, the Spurs chief conceded he may have misjudged the mood of the nation.
Barber, who previously served on the board at White Hart Lane told the clubs Levy said this was “not what I wanted, or expected”
The Brighton exec added: “Daniel says this all grew from a feeling that Uefa simply doesn’t listen to us as a League.
“He believes the big clubs deserve more respect and more money.”
But while Levy’s message was viewed by the clubs as the first recognition of the scale of the mistake, it did not spare him and the rest of the Big Six from the wrath of the 14 left on the outside.
One club source revealed: “Paul was told to pass on a simple message back – that Daniel and the rest of them were destroying all of us by this act.
“We are all still seething at what has gone on. Every single one of us.
“There is no sympathy at all for Levy or anyone else involved. They’re the ones who put us in this position because of their greed.”
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Tottenham fans have been protesting outside the stadiumCredit: Getty

Another club boss added: “Daniel can paint himself as a victim but nobody was buying that at all. It’s too late for that.”
Masters and the Prem leadership, as well as the clubs outside the Big Six, were left bolstered by a firm vow from PM Boris Johnson that he will bring in urgent legislation that would prevent the Six from joining the £4.6billion scheme.

That meeting involved representatives of Arsenal, Spurs and Manchester United supporters’ trusts and the Football Supporters Association, FA chief executive Mark Bullingham, as well as Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden.
Johnson is understood to have made it abundantly clear to the meeting that he would simply not allow the breakaway to take place.
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