May 10 – The three lingering renegades among the original 12 clubs who formed the European Super League continue to dig in their heels despite warnings from UEFA of significant sanctions.
Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona issued a statement at the weekend defending their interest in the project in the face of what they call “threats” from UEFA and expressed “regret” at seeing the other nine recommit to European football’s governing body.
“The founding clubs have suffered, and continue to suffer, unacceptable third-party pressures, threats and offences to abandon the project,” the Real, Barca and Juve statement said, which they feel is an attempt to have them “desist from their right and duty to provide solutions to the football ecosystem via concrete proposals and constructive dialogue.
“This is intolerable under the rule of law,” the joint statement continued.
The ESL collapsed within 48 hours of being announced last month amid a tsunami of protests by fans, leagues, other clubs and even the British government.
But those behind the breakaway have maintained it had a sound legal footing and was the only way to maintain and boost interest in elite football.
“We would be highly irresponsible if, being aware of the needs and systemic crisis in the football sector, which led us to announce the Super League, we abandoned such mission to provide effective and sustainable answers to the existential questions that threaten the football industry,” the three clubs said.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin declared in the wake of the Super League debacle that those clubs refusing to renounce the concept could face “whatever action UEFA deems appropriate” but Real, Barca and Juve refused to be brow-beaten.
“The material issues that led the 12 founding clubs to announce the Super League weeks ago have not gone away,” they said.
The trio said they “regret to see” the other nine clubs “now found themselves in such inconsistent and contradictory position when signing a number of commitments to UEFA”.
“To honour our history, to comply with our obligations towards our stakeholders and fans, for the good of football and for the financial sustainability of the sector, we have the duty to act in a responsible manner and persevere in the pursuit of adequate solutions, despite the unacceptable and ongoing pressures and threats received from UEFA.”
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