Real Madrid president Florentino Perez claims that a European Super League can be the beginning of “a new era for the good of football”.
Real were one of 12 founding members of a proposed new European competition that was launched and subsequently failed in 72 chaotic hours back in April 2021.
Following a challenge from Super League organisers, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled in UEFA’s favour in December 2022 with the final binding verdict – originally expected to come in March – now set to be made in December.
Real, alongside La Liga rivals Barcelona, have consistently maintained their support for the project throughout with Perez using the club’s annual general meeting on Saturday to again do so as well as criticise UEFA’s current running of the European game.
“Football is suffering an unprecedented institutional crisis. At all levels, both in Spain and in Europe, ” he said. “The main problem is that there are a series of managers who act without thinking about the fans. And we are going to continue working so that football can once again inspire the greatest number of fans around the world.
“European football does not belong to the president of UEFA. Spanish football does not belong to the president of La Liga. Football is nobody’s monopoly, because football belongs to everybody. The aim of the Super League is very clear: to offer the best possible club competition.
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“We need to impose, once and for all, maximum respect for the rules of financial fair play. To achieve this, we need transparent and modern corporate governance structures that are fit for the 21st century and subject to the principles and laws of the European Union.”
He added of European football’s governing body: “UEFA continues to manage competitions in the same way as 30 years ago. Without innovation, without modernisation, without transparency, without bringing the competition closer to the fans.
“We have seen many examples where large corporations that seemed invincible in their sectors have gone bankrupt because they did not know how to modernise and adapt to the times.
“We therefore hope that on December 21, when we will hear the decision of the European Court of Justice on this case, it will mark the beginning of a new era for the good of football”.
The ill-fated plan to set up a European Super League was announced on April 18, 2021 with twelve of Europe’s leading clubs from England, Spain and Italy confirming their intention to launch their own midweek competition to rival UEFA’s Champions League.
The proposed competition was made up of Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid as well as Juventus, Barcelona and Real Madrid.
However, the first nine listed clubs backed out after receiving heavy backlash from politicians, broadcasters, pundits and coaches while Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus stood firm.
Juventus confirmed their intention to pull out of any future plans in June of this year.
Organisers announced a revamped format for the controversial tournament back in February, which would see 60 to 80 teams competing in a “multi-divisional competition”.
They say a new-look Super League would be based on “sporting performance” only with no permanent members.
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(Photo: Burak Akbulut/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
