The European Superliga announces 12 football clubs, 6 from England

Twelve of Europe’s leading football clubs have agreed to establish a Superliga, despite widespread criticism of the plans.

A statement from the new competition said: “AC Milan, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Barcelona, ​​Inter Milan, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur have joined as clubs founders.

“Three more clubs are expected to join before the opening season, which is set to start as soon as possible.”

Florentino Pérez, president of Real Madrid and first president of the Superliga, said: “We will help football at all levels and take it to its rightful place in the world. Football is the only world sport in the world with more than four “One billion fans and our responsibility as big clubs is to meet their wishes.”

The project is set to compete with the UEFA Champions League format that currently dominates European football and arrives as UEFA had to sign plans for an expanded and restructured Champions League on Monday.

The new Superliga has been criticized by politicians, such as Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labor Party leader Sir Keir Starmer, as well as by former players like Gary Neville.

Johnson said the new league “will attack the heart of the national game and worry fans across the country.”

He added: “The clubs involved must respond to their fans and the wider football community before taking further steps.”

Sir Keir said the plans had been ignored by fans and added: “Football in empty stadiums has not been the same for the last year. I can’t wait to get back to the games. But this proposal runs the risk of permanently closing the leads to fans., reducing them to mere spectators and consumers.

“The clubs involved in this proposal should rethink immediately. And if they don’t, they should face the consequences of their actions. Because football without fans is nothing.”

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville told Sky Sports: “I am not against the modernization of football competitions, we have the Premier League, the Champions League, but I think we are pushing forward proposals in the midst of COVID. and the economic crisis for everyone clubs is an absolute scandal.

“The United States and the rest of the ‘big six’ who have joined the rest of the Premier League should be ashamed of themselves.”

Neville added: “They should deduct six points from the six teams that have signed up. Deduct everyone’s points. Doing it for a season? It’s a joke.”

UEFA, the FA and the Premier League, among others, have expressed their opposition, saying in a joint statement that “they remain united in our efforts to stop this cynical project”, adding: “We thank those clubs for other countries, especially French and German clubs that have refused to sign up.

“That persistent self-interest of a few has been too long. That’s enough.”

The English FA said: “We will not give permission to any competition that harms English football and we will take the necessary legal and / or regulatory measures to protect the wider interests of the game.”

The Superliga competition will feature 20 participating clubs: 15 founding clubs and five more teams able to qualify annually based on their previous season’s achievements.

It will start in August with clubs participating in two groups of 10 playing at home and away from home, some during the week, and the top three finishers from each group qualify for the quarter-finals.

Teams finishing fourth and fifth will compete in a two-legged play-off for the remaining quarterfinals before a playoff format is used to reach the final in late May, which will take place as a one-off match in a neutral place. .

Club players will be able to continue competing in their national leagues and, as soon as possible after the start of the men’s competition, a women’s league will also be launched.