On Thursday, the European Supreme Court of Justice opened the door to the European Super League becoming a reality, after they ruled that UEFA and FIFA cannot punish clubs, in this case Barcelona and Real Madrid, for joining another competition.
It was a decision that sent shockwaves across European football, and in its aftermath, A22 – who are the company behind the new ESL – announced its plans for the proposed three-tier tournament.
Bernd Reichart, CEO of A22, spoke to Diario AS following the ruling, and he admitted that plans have been made to begin the ESL very soon.
“We want to start as soon as possible, but the ruling is only a few hours old. What we want now is to resume talks with the clubs, but in the light of day. We have been in dialogue for eighteen months with the clubs, who are concerned about the loss of competitiveness and fear for their own stability and sustainability of their revenues. Now we want to have the best football in the world for the teams and for their fans.
“Right now the monopoly has fallen, and I understand that there are people who are not comfortable in this scenario because they are afraid of losing their privileges. It is not serious to give a specific date today for the premiere of the Super League because we have to convince the clubs and the fans and generate a consensus to set up what will be the best competition in the world. Once this is done, we will launch it as soon as possible.”
Reichart also addressed criticism, from many including La Liga President Javier Tebas, for the decision to make matches free-to-air.
“(We will do it) mainly with advertising, because the best football in the world can aspire to reach global coverage. This will allow it to be refinanced with advertising, something that has been my life for twenty years.”
At this stage, many clubs have rejected the Super League, and intend to continue in UEFA and FIFA competitions. This is undoubtedly a blow for A22, Barcelona and Real Madrid, although all concerned will likely continue working on this until their dreams become a reality.
