The European Super League was boldly announced on Sunday, with Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Milan, Arsenal, Chelsea, Inter, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United the founding members. Florentino Perez, recently re-elected president of Madrid, was slated as being in line to serve as the first president.
The idea came under serious threat on Tuesday evening. Chelsea supporters gathered outside of Stamford Bridge in protest at the project, while City confirmed they’d enacted the process of leaving the Super League, shortly followed by celebratory tweets from Raheem Sterling and Aymeric Laporte.
Football belongs to the fans. Today more than ever.
— Gerard Piqué (@3gerardpique) April 20, 2021
United confirmed that the club’s chairman, Ed Woodward, would leave the club at the end of 2021, while there was even rumours, refuted, that Andrea Agnelli had offered his resignation to Juventus and Florentino was beginning to come under serious pressure. Liverpool players, led by Jordan Henderson, posted a message on social media openly rebelling against the project.
Atletico were thought to have pulled out earlier in the evening, only for the claim to be refuted, while reports indicated that Joan Laporta was waiting for Barcelona’s socios to ratify their entry into the Super League before confirming it. El Partidazo de Cope claimed both Atletico and Barcelona were still committed to the project after a meeting between the 12 founding clubs, with only City out so far. Chelsea were said to be wavering.
Fabrizio Romano followed that up with a report that Florentino was running late for an interview on Spanish radio as he was locked in discussions with the ten other clubs still remaining in the Super League.
🚨⚽️ ÚLTIMA HORA
🎙️ Informa @ManuCarreno
💥 Los supervivientes de la Superliga van a sacar un comunicado anunciando que la competición continúa sin los ingleseshttps://t.co/BSZoXKxxDA
— El Larguero (@ellarguero) April 20, 2021
The English clubs, Romano claimed, are the key to what’s going to happen after City’s withdrawal, and this was confirmed shortly after by Paul Gilmour, who claimed that an announcement was imminent that all six Premier League clubs would be leaving the Super League this evening, news that was followed by a statement from Barcelona legend Gerard Pique. “Football belongs to the fans,” he said.
El Partidazo de Cope reported that Atletico were going to make a firm decision tomorrow on whether to continue as part of the project, while Football Italia claimed Milan were close to becoming the first Italian club to exit. El Larguero then claimed that the Super League survivors are planning to proceed with the project even without the English clubs.
I think it’s time to end l these foolishness. The ESL is not going to work. They should focus on other things and put hands together with UEFA to make things work. The earlier the better.