European football body, UEFA has declared it will evict the 12 football giants from the UEFA Champions League and domestic leagues if they go ahead with the breakaway ‘Super league’ plans.
The clubs, include Premier League sides Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs, as well as the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, AC Milan, Atletico Madrid and one other.
As initially reported by the Times, the European giants are putting together plans to launch a new competition in time for the start of the 2023/24 season.
UEFA in a joint statement with the Football Associations of England, Italy, Spain, Portugal said the said project will undermine the integrity of the sport.
And as such, it will use “all measures available” to stop the “cynical project” of a breakaway Super League.
According to the statement: “UEFA, the English Football Association and the Premier League, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and La Liga, and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and Serie A have learned that a few English, Spanish and Italian clubs may be planning to announce their creation of a closed, so-called Super League.
“If this were to happen, we wish to reiterate that we – UEFA, the English FA, RFEF, FIGC, the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, but also FIFA and all our member associations – will remain united in our efforts to stop this cynical project, a project that is founded on the self-interest of a few clubs at a time when society needs solidarity more than ever.
“We will consider all measures available to us, at all levels, both judicial and sporting in order to prevent this happening. Football is based on open competitions and sporting merit; it cannot be any other way.
“As previously announced by FIFA and the six Federations, the clubs concerned will be banned from playing in any other competition at domestic, European or world level, and their players could be denied the opportunity to represent their national teams.
The European body appreciated the support of the international football associations and the clubs who have refused to be part of the breakaway teams.
“We thank those clubs in other countries, especially the French and German clubs, who have refused to sign up to this. We call on all lovers of football, supporters and politicians, to join us in fighting against such a project if it were to be announced. This persistent self-interest of a few has been going on for too long. Enough is enough,” it ended the statement.
