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#3 Reaction of FIFA, UEFA, Premier League etc.
The announcement of the European Super League has not gone down well at all. In fact, fans and federations alike have expressed their disgust at the thought of the richest clubs in the world breaking away and forming an elitist group of their own.
According to the very reliable Fabrizio Romano, UEFA, the Premier League, FIFA, Serie A and the La Liga are all on the same page about the Super League and have all disapproved of the idea. Their stance is that clubs that decide to break away and join the Super League will be banned from playing domestically and internationally.
This is what UEFA have said:
“We will consider all measures available to us, at all levels, both judicial and sporting in order to prevent this happening. Football is based on open competitions and sporting merit; it cannot be any other way.
“The clubs concerned will be banned from playing in any other competition at domestic, European or world level, and their players could be denied the opportunity to represent their national teams.”
Premier League has also been quite strong in their criticism of the clubs that have signed up for the European Super League.
“Fans of any club in England and across Europe can currently dream that their team may climb to the top and play against the best. We believe that the concept of a European Super League would destroy this dream.”
#4 How have football fans reacted?
Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are the Premier League sides that have signed up for the European Super League. Admonishing the move, the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust released a statement today that read:
“We have always tried to maintain a pragmatic position of engagement with the board of THFC, even under the most trying of circumstances. But enough is enough. The current board is prepared to risk the club’s reputation and its future in the opportunistic pursuit of greed. One of England’s most famous clubs could find itself expelled from English league competition. Its players could be banned from international competition. And yet the current owners – mere custodians of a 139-year-old institution – are prepared to risk it all for avarice and self-aggrandisement.”
Well, not exactly everyone is opposed to the idea. Some fans, for example, believe that it will be more competitive and evenly poised than the Bundesliga is for Bayern.
Manchester United legend and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville went on a two-minute rant that pretty much sums it up.
#5 What the European Super League means for the game
The original plan of the European Super League seems to be to replace the UEFA Champions League. However, UEFA insist that teams taking part in the Super League will be banned from playing domestically. This means that if teams want to play in the European Super League, they will have to opt out of playing in domestic competitions.
All in all, it's not a good look for the big clubs. Football is about the fans and the culture that nurtures it. It's about the wide range of emotions that take us on roller coaster rides every week. It's about Leicester City beating the 5000/1 odds to become the Premier League champions and qualifying for the Champions League.
The European Super League is a move that big clubs are making so that they can make more money for themselves. The move in itself will alienate smaller clubs and render them poorer. It will be the end of the UEFA Champions League and that in itself is a huge mood dampener.
