Photo: Julio Munoz/EPA
Four of the six English clubs that joined the European Super League two years ago have pledged allegiance to UEFA and the old order of European football after the breakout project received an unexpected reprieve from the European Court of Justice.
Manchester United, Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester City - along with a number of other clubs, leagues and organizations - released statements following a day of drama that saw the landscape of European football change and the Super League relaunching itself with a revised format and the promise of every match will be streamed for free.
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Each message contained similar language to the one Manchester United first published among Premier League clubs. "Our position has not changed," United said. "We remain fully committed to participating in UEFA competitions and to working positively with UEFA, the Premier League and fellow clubs through the ECA. [European Club Association] about the further development of the European game." The other two Premier League clubs to join the Super League in 2021 were Arsenal and Liverpool.
The confirmations came after the ruling of the Grand Chamber of the Court of Justice. The court's main headline, as reflected in its press release, was stark: "FIFA and UEFA's rules on the prior approval of inter-club football competitions, such as the Super League, are contrary to EU law," it said. The court essentially agreed with the Super League company in its case against UEFA over the way the governing body sought to control the approval of new competitions in European football. The court found that UEFA "abused a dominant position" and said the governing body's authorization rules failed to meet the requirement that they be "transparent, objective, non-discriminatory and proportionate".
Shortly after the court ruling, the media company A22 Sports, which managed and developed the Super League concept even though it had since dwindled to only Barcelona and Real Madrid as proponents, announced that it had restarted the competition. A22 CEO Bernd Reichart declared that "football is free" and said the new Super League would expand from 16 to 64 clubs in the men's game, while a women's league would include 32 teams. If both were split into divisions there would be promotion and relegation, twenty teams dropping out of the men's competition each year and no permanent places as originally planned. Most notably, every Super League match would be streamed live for free via an internal app currently known as Unify.
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Two hours later, the UEFA president called his own press conference. Aleksander Ceferin sat alongside ECA president Nasser al-Khelaifi and La Liga's Javier Tebas to denounce their rivals. "When I watched the presentation of the so-called Super League, it was difficult to decide whether I was shocked or amused," Ceferin said. "Since it's almost Christmas, I choose to be entertained. I hope they start a fantastic competition with two clubs as soon as possible. I hope they know what they are doing, although I'm not so sure."
UEFA's official communications also strongly opposed the interpretation of the verdict as a blow to the governing body. They said the ruling "did not constitute an endorsement or validation of the so-called 'super league'", but addressed a "pre-existing shortcoming" within UEFA's framework, which it said was subsequently corrected in June 2022.
"UEFA is confident in the robustness of its new rules, specifically that they comply with all relevant European laws and regulations," said a statement. "UEFA remains resolute in its commitment to uphold the European football pyramid... We trust that the solidarity-based European football pyramid, which the fans and all stakeholders have declared their irreplaceable model, will be protected from the threat of breakaways by European and national laws. "
Related: Revamped European Super League may flop, but the door for change is now open | Paul MacInnes
The flood of supportive statements that followed this statement suggested that, at least for now, there is no public willingness to disrupt the status quo. Real Madrid and Barcelona were the only clubs to speak out strongly in favor of the Super League. Madrid President Florentino Pérez said: "Today will be a before and after; it is a great day for the history of football and the history of the sport," he said. Pérez claimed that clubs could now be "the masters of their fate" and that the Super League would give football "the new impetus it so desperately needs".
While UEFA's revised rules are likely to be challenged, not least by the Super League corporation which continues to pursue a case against the European governing body through the Spanish courts, other leagues have set up their own safeguards, including the Premier League. In a statement recognizing the "important ruling," the league said it "reiterates its commitment to the clear principles of open competition that underpin the success of domestic and international competitions.
"Football thrives on the competitiveness created by promotion and relegation, the annual merit-based qualification from domestic leagues and cups to international club competitions and the long-standing rivalries and rituals associated with reserving weekends for domestic football. These principles are set out in the Premier League Owners' Charter, introduced in June 2022, which aims to enhance the collective strength and competitiveness of the league for the benefit of the wider game."
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On behalf of English football's players, the Professional Footballers' Association said the court ruling had drawn attention to the way governing bodies had failed to properly take into account the needs of the game. "They have felt that they have been able to make progress without proper involvement or consultation, and often despite concerns or opposition from leagues, clubs, players and their unions," the report said. "This should be a wake-up call."