BBC Sport reporting a secret meeting of some European clubs discussing breaking away from UEFA and forming their own super league, which will have NO RELEGATION and guarantees membership for 20 years!
I like Eupoean cup matches, but would not like a separate league away from this country. I think most fans would think likewise.
Top European clubs have held secret talks to create a European Super League, according to a report by German publication Der Spiegel.
The newspaper claims leaked documents show the breakaway league could be created in 2021 and see clubs involved leave their national leagues and football associations.
Der Spiegel also alleges separate documents show Manchester City and Paris St-Germain avoided financial fair play sanctions with the intervention of Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
Premier League champions City said they would not comment "on out of context materials purportedly hacked or stolen".
Der Spiegel says its source is a whistleblower they call John, who claims that neither he nor his associates are hackers.
"We have very good sources and a strong network that provides us with a lot of information," he told Der Spiegel.
What about the European Super League?
Der Spiegel claims Real Madrid has joined forces with AC Milan, Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Manchester United to form a group of seven sides who went behind the back of Uefa, European football's governing body, to discuss forming a European Super League.
As part of their plans, the clubs allegedly discussed "an option for leaving the national leagues and their football associations behind entirely".
Bayern Munich are supposed to have explored the legal complexities of the breakaway and one of the documents Der Spiegel says it has seen is a "binding term sheet" which 16 clubs would sign to form the Super League.
The new competition, it is claimed, would involve 11 of Europe's biggest clubs, known as the "founders", along with five "initial guests".
The so-called founders, who would include the seven clubs named above along with Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Paris St-Germain, would not face relegation and would be guaranteed membership for 20 years.
Der Spiegel reports that the five "initial guests," according to the document, would be Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, Marseille and Roma.
A Bayern Munich statement said they were "unaware of recent plans for a so-called Super League" and had not "taken part in negotiations relating to such plans".
The club's chairman added: "FC Bayern Munich stands by its membership of the Bundesliga and, as long as I am chairman of the board of FC Bayern, also by the club competitions organised jointly by Uefa and the ECA (European Club Association)."
United declined to comment, while Arsenal, AC Milan, Juventus and Real Madrid have been contacted for their response by BBC Sport.
Secret Cabal of Clubs?
posted on 3/11/18
These greedy ar5eh0les will kill football.
Fans can stop it happening though, and if it was properly proposed, there would be a huge backlash.
posted on 3/11/18
It's too big of a change and inconvenience for fans to accept and be a success. As a national governing body I would let them get on with it but refuse to ever accept them back in the league if they choose to return.
Fans will not be happy or even be able to travel in mass every other weekend to watch their local team play football.
If they leave as founder I would just be done with them ever getting back into the league and as a guest i'd then start them off from the bottom of the football league.
posted on 3/11/18
comment by SB&S (U17757)
posted 42 minutes ago
If clubs walked away from their associations their players could not be picked to play for their country. A lot of club fans would probably like that but I'm not sure players would go for it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Other sports have thrived in the past despite having their stars barred from major int'l events, such as basketball and ice hockey. At the end of the days, most pros just follow the money.
posted on 3/11/18
Comment Deleted by Article Creator
posted on 3/11/18
ago
2 minutes ago
If clubs walked away from their associations their players could not be picked to play for their country. A lot of club fans would probably like that but I'm not sure players would go for it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Other sports have thrived in the past despite having their stars barred from major int'l events, such as basketball and ice hockey. At the end of the days, most pros just follow the money.
————————-
How many football fans around the World could name ice hockey players and the same goes for basketball.
Yet ask anyone who Messi, Ronaldo, Kane, Salah, Hazard, De Bruyne are, plus a host of other names and there would be no problem at all.
The success of the PL is because it is the PL and not a transient league, which is exactly what NFL, Baseball, Basketball & Ice hockey are.
You think United, City, Liverpool & Chelsea fans would accept it if their owners decided to move them say to Paris or Berlin etc?
posted on 3/11/18
I want my team to play the Burnleys, Cardiffs and Stokes of this world, old fashioned english sides with a physical approach to the game in the winter months. I have no interest watching them playing against Madrid, Barça or other euro teams.
————————————
Totally agree with this comment. Love the European nights, but the heart and soul of football is in the domestic leagues and the upsets and occasional shock results.
Take that away from the average fan and it will destroy the game. Football is not just about the mega rich clubs and hopefully this will not happen.
If they do want to go, let them and make sure they cannot return to their home leagues when the novelty wears off
posted on 3/11/18
comment by GeniusGreaves (U1302)
posted 1 hour, 39 minutes ago
ago
2 minutes ago
If clubs walked away from their associations their players could not be picked to play for their country. A lot of club fans would probably like that but I'm not sure players would go for it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Other sports have thrived in the past despite having their stars barred from major int'l events, such as basketball and ice hockey. At the end of the days, most pros just follow the money.
————————-
How many football fans around the World could name ice hockey players and the same goes for basketball.
Yet ask anyone who Messi, Ronaldo, Kane, Salah, Hazard, De Bruyne are, plus a host of other names and there would be no problem at all.
The success of the PL is because it is the PL and not a transient league, which is exactly what NFL, Baseball, Basketball & Ice hockey are.
You think United, City, Liverpool & Chelsea fans would accept it if their owners decided to move them say to Paris or Berlin etc?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Not sure what your point is about the names. Football is probably the most global sport right now, but don't underestimate the popularity of basketball. Either way, that has little bearing on whether professional footballers would be willing to forfeit international football and accept playing just for their clubs. My point was that there are precdents both in team and individual sports.
As regards the fans and franchises moving location, it may seem unthinkable to us, but again, it's happened in other sports. The fans in Manchester might not stand for it, but there's not much they can do ultimately because they don't own the clubs. It's unlikely for someone like United doing something like that bcause they're one of the biggest global clubs anyway, but if the system allowed for it and it was a sufficiently juicy business prospect, it wouldn't be in the least surprising to see someone moving a club from Leipzig to Berlin, for example.
posted on 3/11/18
It would kill football off completely.
Mind you I could see this coming, when the likes of Real Madrid and Man United are struggling this season to qualify for next seasons CL, then there was bound to be a change of format to make sure both get back in forevermore.
If they want to have a 12 team superleague, then let them have it, with the proviso that none could ever again come back into their domestic leagues. I am sure teams like Liverpool would soon get fed up with finishing bottom every season, but having no way of getting out of it.
posted on 3/11/18
Brexit means Brexit.
posted on 3/11/18
I've heard this super league crap before. Comes up every few years.
It might be that the clubs are getting fed up with UEFA stealing money from them. Politics again.
I pay it no mind. The members, were it to be formed, would need a way to prove that they are still worth their place in the Spuer League.
How do they do that?