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European Super League confirmed as Premier League ‘Big Six’ clubs join breakaway competition as founders

By Evening Standard

Twelve of Europe’s leading clubs, including the Premier League’s Big Six, have announced controversial plans to form a breakaway European Super League.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham join three Spanish clubs - Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid - and three Italian sides - Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan - in making the proposal, which could change the face of European club football.

In a late night statement, the 12 clubs linked confirmed the reports about a European Super League were true.

The statement said: “Twelve of Europe’s leading football clubs have today come together to announce they have agreed to establish a new mid-week competition, the Super League, governed by its founding clubs.

“AC Milan, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur have all joined as founding clubs.

“It is anticipated that a further three clubs will join ahead of the inaugural season, which is intended to commence as soon as practicable.”

The breakaway has been rumoured for some time, but reports of an imminent announcement emerged on Sunday - the day before plans for an expanded Champions League are due to be rubber-stamped - leading to numerous major football bodies, including Uefa, the FA and the Premier League, voicing their opposition.

No French or German clubs have joined in in the proposal, meaning that Bayern Munich and PSG, who contested last season’s Champions League final, are both absent.

Several national associations and domestic leagues, including the FA and Premier League, have already said that they will not allow clubs competing in any breakaway league to also participate in their competitions, while Fifa and Uefa have made similar threats, warning players involved in the European Super League would be barred from representing their national teams.

Former Manchester United captain captain Gary Neville was left “disgusted” by the plans, and believes United, Arsenal and Liverpool should be relegated from the Premier League as punishment for their actions.

Neville said on Sky Sports: “If they announce a letter of intent has been signed, those six clubs, they should be punished heavily. Massive fines, points deductions, take the titles off them. Who cares?

“Give the title to Burnley, let Fulham stay up. Relegate Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal. Those three clubs, with their history in this country, are the ones that should suffer the most.”

The Super League statement suggested that the clubs do not feel UEFA’s proposed changes to the Champions League go far enough.

“The formation of the Super League comes at a time when the global pandemic has accelerated the instability in the existing European football economic model.

“Further, for a number of years, the founding clubs have had the objective of improving the quality and intensity of existing European competitions throughout each season, and of creating a format for top clubs and players to compete on a regular basis.

“The pandemic has shown that a strategic vision and a sustainable commercial approach are required to enhance value and support for the benefit of the entire European football pyramid.

“In recent months extensive dialogue has taken place with football stakeholders regarding the future format of European competitions.

“The founding clubs believe the solutions proposed following these talks do not solve fundamental issues, including the need to provide higher-quality matches and additional financial resources for the overall football pyramid.”

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