FIFA president Gianni Infantino has condemned the European Super League and warned the clubs involved of the consequences.
Twelve clubs – including the Premier League’s so-called ‘big six’ – are part of the controversial plans to create a new competition.
AFP
The formation of the breakaway competition has been condemned across the football community with the Premier League, FA and even Prime Minister Boris Johnson criticising the clubs involved.
A suggestion from UEFA that participating players would not be allowed to take part in major international tournaments was shot down by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.
However, FIFA have taken a similar hardline approach judging by Infantino’s comments.
He is the latest to add his voice to the dissenting choir and told the UEFA Congress on Tuesday morning: “We can only strongly disapprove the creation of the Super League, a Super League which is a closed shop, which is a breakaway from the current institutions, from the leagues, from the associations, from UEFA and from FIFA.
“There is a lot to throw away for the short-term financial gain of some. They need to reflect, and they need to assume responsibility.”
GETTY
He warned the breakaway clubs: “If some elect to go their own way then they must live with the consequences of their choice. They are responsible for their choice.
“Concretely, this means either you’re in or you’re out. You cannot be half in or half out.”
The Premier League called its other 14 clubs to an emergency shareholders’ meeting on Tuesday morning, to which the ‘big six’ – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham – have not been invited.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will also host a round table with representatives from football governing bodies as well as fans’ representatives on Tuesday to discuss the proposed breakaway competition.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin thanked Infantino, before directly addressing the English breakaway clubs and urging them to come to their senses after making a “huge mistake”.
“You showed that you care about the values of football,” he said to Infantino. “And if we stand together, we are unbeatable.”
How the European Super League will work
It will be a new European competition between 20 top clubs
AC Milan, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur have all joined as the inital 12 founders
Three more founding clubs will join while a further five teams will qualify annually based on achievements in the prior season
Games will be played in midweek and all clubs will remain in their domestic leagues
There will be two groups of 10 clubs each, playing home and away fixtures within the group each year
The top three in each group will automatically qualify for the quarter-finals
Teams finishing fourth and fifth will then compete in a two-legged play-off for the remaining quarter-final positions
A two-leg knockout format will then be used to reach the final at the end of May, which will be staged as a single fixture at a neutral venue
Addressing England’s ‘big six’ directly, he said: “Gentlemen, you made a huge mistake.
“What matters is that there is still time to change your mind. Everyone makes mistakes.
“Come to your senses, not out of love for football, because I imagine some of you don’t have much of that, but out of respect for those who bleed themselves dry so that they can go to the stadium to support the team and want the dream to be kept alive. For those, you (must) change your mind.”
Ceferin pointed out that success and club size can change over time, saying: “Where were Manchester United in the decade before Sir Alex Ferguson arrived on the scene?
“And where were Juventus 15 years ago?”
from Football - news, transfers, fixtures, scores, pictures https://ift.tt/3gjLiCS
via IFTTT
No Comment