Twelve European clubs pursuing a Superliga have informed FIFA and UEFA leaders that legal action is already being taken to prevent them from thwarting the launch of separatist competition, according to a letter obtained on Monday. by the Associated Press.
The letter was sent by the group of English, Spanish and Italian clubs to FIFA President Gianni Infantino and his UEFA counterpart Aleksander Ceferin, saying the Superliga has already been signed for a € 4 billion grant. ($ 5.5 billion) from JP Morgan.
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UEFA warned Superliga clubs, including Barcelona, Juventus and Manchester United, after leaking their plans on Sunday that legal action would be taken against the rebel clubs and said they would be banned from competing. existing national teams such as the League in Spain and the Premier League in England.
“However, your formal statement obliges us to take protective measures to protect us from such an adverse reaction, which would not only jeopardize the grant funding commitment, but would be significantly illegal,” the Superliga clubs in Infantino and Ceferin. “For this reason, SLCo (Super League Company) has filed a motion before the relevant courts in order to ensure the perfect establishment and operation of the competition in accordance with applicable law.”
The courts were not appointed.
“Our duty, as members of the SLCo board of directors, is to ensure that all reasonable actions available to protect the interests of the competition and our stakeholders are properly taken, given the irreparable harm that would be suffered if, for whatever reason, we were deprived of the opportunity to quickly form the competition and distribute the benefits of the grant, “the Superliga letter continued.
The break-up came just as UEFA, which runs European football, believed it had an agreement on a Champions League extension from 2024. Now, the same officials who supported the plans have decided to continue. all alone while claiming that existing competitions could remain – – despite losing their most successful teams, including the 13-time European champion record, Real Madrid.
“The competition has to be played alongside existing national league and cup competitions, which are a key part of the competitive fabric of European football,” the Superliga letter to Infanatino and Ceferin says. “We do not intend to replace the UEFA Champions League or the Europa League, but to compete and exist alongside these tournaments.”
UEFA will announce on Monday a new format of 36 teams for the Champions League that was designed to prevent attempts by the main clubs in the match to separate.