Premier League clubs are no longer part of the proposed European Super League which sought to establish a league that would rival the UEFA Champions League.
On Monday, the world got to know that 6 Premier League clubs have signed up for the controversial Super League which was expected to commence in the 2022-2023 season. The 6 Premier League clubs are Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea.
Since it became official that the 6 Premier League clubs have teamed up with 6 other clubs – Real Madrid, Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, FC Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid, to form the controversial league, there have been a worldwide protest against the planned league.
The protest became so intense that other Premier League clubs that are not part of the proposed Super League began to exclude the 6 clubs from their meetings. Even the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, had to speak against the plan and pledged his support for any action the English FA decides to take against the Premier League clubs involved.
Due to the pressure on the 6 clubs who are tagged Super six, the 6 clubs were left with no choice but to issue separate statements on Tuesday, April 20, to announce that they have withdrawn from the proposed league.
In a statement released by Manchester City, the Premier League table-toppers said: “Manchester City Football Club can confirm that it has formally enacted the procedures to withdraw from the group developing plans for a European Super League.”
Arsenal described their involvement in the proposed Super League as a mistake and apologized for their involvement in the planned money-spinning league.
Arsenal’s statement read: “We made a mistake, and we apologize for it. We know it will take time to restore your faith in what we are trying to achieve here at Arsenal but let us be clear that the decision to be part of the Super League was driven by our desire to protect Arsenal, the club you love, and to support the game you love through greater solidarity and financial stability.”
Manchester United’s statement read: “We have listened carefully to the reaction from our fans, the UK government, and other key stakeholders. We remain committed to working with others across the football community to come up with sustainable solutions to the long-term challenges facing the game.”
Liverpool’s statement read: “In recent days, the club has received representations from various key stakeholders, both internally and externally, and we would like to thank them for their valuable contributions.”
Tottenham Hotspur’s statement read: “We regret the anxiety and upset caused by the ESL proposal. We felt it was important that our club participated in the development of a possible new structure that sought to better ensure financial fair play and financial sustainability whilst delivering significantly increased support for the wider football pyramid.”
While that of Chelsea football club read: “We have now had time to consider the matter fully and have decided that our continued participation in these plans would not be in the best interests of the club, our supporters or the wider football community.”
