UEFA looking to punish
Despite being some time since the collapse of the proposed Super League, the ramifications of the teams which originally joined up and announced its beginnings are yet to come to light.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin recently said that he saw differences between the sides.
Ceferin noted that the English teams which backed out to cause the proposal’s collapse would be treated as such.
“But for me it’s a clear difference between the English clubs and the other six. They pulled out first, they admitted they made a mistake. You have to have some greatness to say ‘I was wrong,’” said Ceferin.
MONTREUX, SWITZERLAND – APRIL 20: UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin during the 45th Ordinary UEFA Congress at 2m2c Montreux Music & Convention Centre on April 20, 2021, in Montreux, Switzerland (Photo by Richard Juilliart – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
“For me there are three groups of this 12 – the English six, who went out first, then the other three after them and then the ones who feel that Earth is flat and they think the Super League still exists. And there is a big difference between those. But everyone will be held responsible. In what way, we will see.
“I don’t want to say disciplinary process but it has to be clear that everyone has to be held responsible in a different way. Is it disciplinary? Is it the decision of the executive committee? We will see. It’s too early to say.”
The world is flat?
Ceferin’s comment regarding those teams who believe the Super League is still in existence made in comparisons to the structure of the planet may seem hyperbolic but Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has been defiant since the collapse.
The Los Blancos man has said that the clubs, despite saying otherwise officially, are yet to leave and that ‘binding contracts’ are keeping them in place.
“I don’t need to explain what a binding contract is but effectively, the clubs cannot leave,” Perez said.
“Some of them, due to pressure, have said they’re leaving. But this project, or one very similar, will move forward and I hope very soon.”
MADRID, SPAIN – MARCH 16: President Florentino Perez of Real Madrid during the UEFA Champions League match between Real Madrid v Atalanta Bergamo at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on March 16, 2021 in Madrid Spain (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
He reiterated this point saying that the members who ‘comprise the Super league’ are still in it at this stage.
“The partnership still exists as do the members who comprise the Super League. What we have done is taken a few weeks to reflect in light of the fury of certain people who don’t want to lose their privileges and have manipulated the project.”
Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke’s son Josh had said that whilst he wouldn’t commit to the Super League in its current state, left the door open to the possibility of a project of a different nature.
When asked if he could give assurance that this would never happen again, he replied, “As that proposal was constructed, yes.”
COMMERCE CITY, COLORADO – JULY 15: Josh Kroenke the Arsenal Director with Stan Kroenke the Arsenal Owner before the match between Colorado Rapids v Arsenal at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on July 15, 2019 in Commerce City, Colorado. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Barcelona, Real, Juve & Milan face bans
According to ESPN, UEFA are preparing serious sanctions for clubs who did not step away from the Super League proposals.
UEFA is ready to impose severe disciplinary penalties on those clubs that wished to participate in the Super League and still have not clearly distanced themselves from the project
It is said that the organization has been in talks with all the 12 clubs about getting assurances that they would not be committing to a breakaway of this nature in the future.
So far, it is said all 6 English clubs and Atletico Madrid have provided that assurance and the same is expected to come from Inter Milan soon. This is unsurprising considering the huge backlash from supporters to the League’s proposal.
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 23: Arsenal fans chant and hold placards during a protest against the club’s owner Stan Kroenke ahead of the Premier League match between Arsenal and Everton, outside Emirates Stadium on April 23, 2021 in London, England. The protest, which takes place amid growing discontent over the running Arsenal FC, was sparked by the club’s recent involvement in the European Super League. There was uproar from football fans across the country earlier this week when six major Premier League football clubs, including Arsenal, announced that they were to join the controversial “closed-shop” tournament. Each club has subsequently withdrawn from the competition. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)
However, Real Madrid, unsurprisingly considering Perez’s presence, Barcelona, AC Milan and Juventus, of whom Andrea Agnelli is chairman and has seen friction between himself and Ceferin of late, are all refusing to back down.
The punishment could be in the form of a European ban with a two-year suspension from UEFA’s competitions.
With the possibility of an all-English final in both the Champions League and Europa League this season, this could become an even more regular occurence should the aforementioned Spanish and Italian teams be banned.
