Premier League and UEFA condemn European Super League plans | OneFootball

The Premier League and UEFA have both released official statements condemning plans for a European Super League.

According to various reports on Sunday, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham have all signed letters of consent to join a breakaway league involving other top European clubs, and a formal announcement could be made on Sunday evening.

And now the Premier League has released statement on the matter …

While UEFA say clubs involved could face sanctions if they press on with the plans …

“UEFA, the English Football Association and the Premier League, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and LaLiga, and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and Lega Serie A have learned that a few English, Spanish and Italian clubs may be planning to announce their creation of a closed, so-called Super League,” read UEFA’s statement.

“If this were to happen, we wish to reiterate that we – UEFA, the English FA, RFEF, FIGC, the Premier League, LaLiga, Lega Serie A, but also FIFA and all our member associations – will remain united in our efforts to stop this cynical project, a project that is founded on the self-interest of a few clubs at a time when society needs solidarity more than ever.

“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.

“As previously announced by FIFA and the six Federations, 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.

“We thank those clubs in other countries, especially the French and German clubs, who have refused to sign up to this. We call on all lovers of football, supporters and politicians, to join us in fighting against such a project if it were to be announced. This persistent self-interest of a few has been going on for too long. Enough is enough.”

According to the Daily Mail, the European Super League would be bankrolled by US banking giant JP Morgan and is the brainchild of Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and the American owners of three leading English clubs.

If the plans go ahead, Perez is expected to be chairman of the new league, with Liverpool’s John W. Henry, Joel Glazer of Manchester United, Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke and Juventus president Andrea Agnelli as vice-chairmen.

The initial 12 signatories to the deal are reportedly the six English clubs, plus Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid from Spain, and Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan from Italy.

The plan is for the Super League to eventually contain 15-18 teams but as yet, the likes of Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich and French champions Paris Saint-Germain have not agreed to be part of it.

The six English clubs are not intending to resign from domestic football, but need Premier League permission to join any new competitions, which could be a problem.

If the Premier League says no, those clubs could be forced to break away from the league altogether.