By Samindra Kunti
April 21 – More nails were hammered into the coffin of the European Super League breakaway plan this morning (Wednesday) with rebel clubs Inter Milan, AC Milan and Atletico Madrid all officially announcing they are withdrawing in the wake of the departure of England’s Big Six Premier League clubs.
Juventus’ also indicated it will be exiting the league, though did so reluctantly and still convinced of “the soundness” of the project. At press time the mass exodus leaves only Spanish giants FC Barcelona and Real Madrid in the competition.
Within 48 hours of its launch, the European Super League, a profit-driven venture by a select group of owners of the greed-is-good mentality, looked to have spectacularly collapsed – at least in its current iteration. But even in pulling out, a number of the clubs still attempted to justify their actions saying that sustainable financial models still have to be found. Some lessons have been learned, perhaps not all.
Inter Milan, one of three clubs from Italy to sign up for the Super League, issued a statement saying: “Our commitment with all stakeholders to improve the football industry will never change.
“Inter believe that football, like any sector of activity, must have an interest in constantly improving its competitions, in order to continue to excite fans of all ages all over the world, within a framework of financial sustainability. With this vision we will continue to work together with institutions and all stakeholders for the future of the sport we all love.”
A few hours later, rivals AC Milan followed suit, departing the Super League with a retraction statement that reiterated Inter’s wish to “deliver a sustainable model for football”.
“However, the voices and the concerns of fans around the world have clearly been expressed about the Super League, and AC Milan must be sensitive to the voice of those who love this wonderful sport,” wrote AC Milan.
Atletico Madrid’s departure announcement from the sinking ship said: “Atlético de Madrid made the decision last Monday to join this project in response to circumstances that no longer exist today.
“For the club, harmony is essential between all the groups that make up the rojiblanca family, especially our fans. The first team squad and their coach have shown their satisfaction with the club’s decision, understanding that sporting merits must prevail over any other criteria.”
On Tuesday evening, Manchester City had set the wrecking ball in motion with a formal statement which the other five English clubs soon followed, announcing their exit from the competition that was concocted behind closed doors. It was the ultimate poker game from the elite owners and executives involved to install a Super League at the top of the European football pyramid, but going all-in proved to be a massive mistake.
Liverpool released an almost funeralistic video in which owner John W Henry apologised to the club’s supporters, saying: “In this endeavour I’ve let you down.”
Notwithstanding the implosion of the Super League, Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli, one of the key driving forces behind the proposal alongside Real Madrid president Floreninto Perez, remained defiant and upbeat about realization of the project in the future.
“I remain convinced of the beauty of that project, of the value that it would have developed to the pyramid, of the creation of the best competition in the world, but evidently no,” Agnelli told Reuters. “I don’t think that project is now still up and running.”
Agnelli added: “I don’t think our industry is a particularly sincere, trustworthy or reliable one in general.” One wonders if he was in fact describing himself after the way he flip flopped his unequivocal support between the European Club Association (ECA) and UEFA, before jumping into the car seat of self-interest the day before the revamped Champions League format was to be approved.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin labelled Agnelli “a snake” and “a liar” after the Italian’s betrayal of both his organisation and the ECA, but, even with liaisons between UEFA and Agnelli irreversibly damaged, Agnelli was unperturbed, a sentiment reflected in Juventus’ own retraction statement later, which stated that the club remains convinced of “the soundness” of the Super League project.
The Italian champions added: “Juventus remains committed to pursuing the creation of long-term value for the Company and the entire football industry.”
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1713419732labto1713419732ofdlr1713419732owedi1713419732sni@o1713419732fni1713419732