UEFA chief makes Chelsea admission regarding the European Super League

A Stamford Bridge Too Far

·16 March 2023

UEFA chief makes Chelsea admission regarding the European Super League

UEFA president reveals that Chelsea were one of the clubs hesitant to join the European Super League

Speaking with Gary Neville on The Overlap (h/t Sky Sports), UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin reveals that Chelsea and Manchester City were the two clubs hesitant in joining the European Super League (ESL).

It was in 2021 when there was a breakout European Super League formulated by the 12 top clubs in Europe, including six teams from the Premier League.

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The idea was clamped down by the combination of the words from fans, pundits, media and the UEFA. We have seen the refurbished idea floating around in the last few weeks.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin reveals Chelsea were one of the clubs hesitant to join the European Super League. (imago Images)

Here’s what Ceferin said about the English clubs and their willingness to join the ESL (h/t Sky Sports):

“I think that those two [Liverpool and Manchester United] were from the English side the most involved [in the Super League]. The last to join were Chelsea and Manchester City. I’m not sure about Tottenham and Arsenal.“Both Chelsea and Manchester City were hesitant from the beginning, and it was one of these teams that called me.“I had a phone call from one of the English clubs, I will not say which. I lost it a bit and said, ‘You go to hell. From tomorrow, you are my enemies. I don’t want to speak to you anymore’. It was tough.”

Let’s wait and see what the renewed idea is, but the first one was really bad for the pyramid of football. It had 12 clubs competing against each other with no pressure of relegation and no chance for others to jump in the queue.

It was initiated by the American owners of Liverpool and Manchester United because of their inability to financially compete with the likes of Chelsea and City. Real Madrid and Juventus chiefs were at the forefront too. The former claimed ESL was there to save football.

LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 20: Fans of Chelsea Football Club protest against the European Super League outside Stamford Bridge on April 20, 2021 in London, England. Six English premier league teams have announced they are part of plans for a breakaway European Super League. Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur will join 12 other European teams in a closed league similar to that of the NFL American Football League. In a statement released last night, the new competition “is intended to commence as soon as practicable” potentially in August. (Photo by Rob Pinney/Getty Images)

While that is a commendable effort, forming another breakaway league was not the solution. Imposing salary caps, and tighter application of the financial fair play (FFP) needs to be done.

Let’s hope that some sort of level-playing field is reached in the next few years for the betterment of football. The other thing is that this game will never be perfect on and off the pitch. So, the philosophers who think it was all good 20 years ago are as wrong as anything.

Granted that things have gotten out of control financially in the last few years, but the game remains as imperfect as it was two decades ago.