Barcelona support the creation of a European Super League that would break away from the Champions League, a Vice-President confirms.
A story in La Vanguardia says the Champions League holders are unhappy with UEFA’s ‘arbitrary’ disciplinary procedures, pointing to the punishment the club has received for the display of pro-Catalan independence flags.
But it’s stressed that the primary motivation for the creation of a European Super League would be financial, and the club’s Vice-President for financial matters, Susana Monje, is quoted in support of granting the clubs greater control.
“We must support a European League from an area controlled by clubs,” Monje is quoted as telling La Vanguardia.
“Currently we rely on organisations such as UEFA or FIFA whose management can be improved, and that’s a very clear objective that Barca must support.”
A comparison is drawn with the FIBA Euroleague, a basketball competition formed 16 years ago when the continent’s top clubs pulled out of the previous format.
Bayern Munich general manager Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is known to support the idea of a European Super League and so too is Juventus bigwig Andrea Agnelli, who believes the current system deprives the clubs of too much of the Champions League’s income and wants to see a change.
Rummenigge is quoted as suggesting a European Super League could host fixtures in Asia and the United States but it’s noted the other option on the table is to modify the Champions League to ensure the regulars in the tournament get a bigger cut of the profits.
That would see the less-established clubs receive a smaller cut, even if they enter as champions of their respective countries.
A proposed format explains clubs would enter the European Super League based on ‘sporting history’ and recent Champions League results, and would still compete in their domestic Leagues but with a B team.
