Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has spoken out in support of a European Super League in comments carried by Diario AS.
The idea is to develop a league similar to the model seen in the United States with the NBA with the ambition of increasing the income of the elite and lightening the load on players.
Perez pointed to the Coronavirus pandemic and the massive impact it has had on the landscape of European football as providing the impetus to push through this change.
Image courtesy of Bleacher Report
“Nothing will ever be the same again,” Perez said.
“The pandemic has changed everything, It has made us all more vulnerable and also football. Football needs formulas that make it more competitive and exciting.
“[Madrid] has participated in all the innovations and has protected these innovations in our sport. The club was the sole founder of Fifa in 1904 along with seven country federations, and in 1955 collaborated with L’Equipe to promote the creation of the European Cup, a revolutionary moment that changed the history of football.
“Without all these changes, football could not have been what it is today, but we need a new change. Football has to face this new era and that’s what Madrid will do, to defend the fans.
“The fans themselves are faced with a saturation of the calendar that makes everything very difficult, even identifying the competition that is being played.
“There are players who are injured by this saturation. Football reform cannot wait and must be faced. We have a responsibility to fight for this change. The new generations consume more content. They must improve competitiveness and quality.”
Image courtesy of The Statesman
The model being proposed by Europe’s elite is close to the Euroleague basketball model, with round-trip matches between the 16-18 participating clubs and a final play-off in a single venue to decide the champion. The format being studied would be a free-for-all league with 34 matches in which the best eight compete for the final title.
The clubs competing in this European Super League wouldn’t leave their national championships for now, but it would affect the Champions League and the Europa League.
Featured image courtesy of FC Barcelona Noticias
