The President of the European football governing body, UEFA, Aleksander Ceferin has insisted that Real Madrid, Juventus, and FC Barcelona have paralyzed themselves in the world of football over their desire for a European Super League.
He insisted that he does not understand the approach the three clubs are trying to take in their quest to actualize their dream of re-establishing the failed European Super League.
Recall that Real Madrid, Juventus, and FC Barcelona are the founding members of the proposed Super Leagues. They were able to convince 6 Premier League clubs – Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Tottenham Hotspur to join them.
Also, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, and AC Milan signed up for it to make it 12 top clubs across Europe that signed up for the European Super League. However, immediately after they announced the commencement of the Super League on April 18, there was a strong agitation against it.
Due to the agitation, every other club that signed up for the European Super League abandoned it but Real Madrid, Juventus, and FC Barcelona refused to give up.
Hence, UEFA’s disciplinary committee decided to commence a disciplinary procedure against the clubs. Still, the three clubs have not shown any sign of giving up on the failed European Super League.
Recently, the three clubs issued a statement to stress that they have taken UEFA to court to challenge the autonomy the football governing body has over the running of football in Europe.
Hence, the three clubs urged UEFA and FIFA to obey the order of the tribunal which said no action should be taken against the proposed European Super League and the clubs involved until the conclusion of court proceedings challenging the autonomy UEFA has over football in Europe.
When asked whether the push for the European Super League by the three clubs would paralyze football in Europe, Ceferin told Sky Italy that: “They paralyzed themselves with the approach they took.
“It’s strange to read press releases that the three clubs out of thousands of clubs think their idea will save football and nobody else likes it.”
On the disciplinary action against the three clubs, the UEFA president said: “Our disciplinary committee is independent so the moment they start to work on a case, I don’t have a reach or information there. I don’t know when, if or how the sanctions would be.
“For me what is strange is that you publish you are still part of the Super League and then you send a letter applying to play in the Champions League. So you are in Super League but play Champions League. It’s quite hard to understand what they mean.
“They should call us, send us a letter, ask for a meeting. They just sent some press releases saying they want to have a dialogue. It’s quite a strange approach…
“It’s really hard to understand what they want. If they say Super League exists – and nobody prevents them from playing Super League, the three of you can play your Super League. But they say they want to play Champions League as well at the same time.
“We are not afraid of those things. If the courts decide one way or another we have to be honest and work for football, which those clubs are not.”
🗣️ "We are not afraid of those things"
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 31, 2021
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin hits out at the three clubs who are refusing to back down over European Super League talkspic.twitter.com/Z9UIl3rfzM
