Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus have issued a joint statement refusing to abandon the Super League, despite what they claim to be ‘unacceptable pressure and threats to do so, and will continue to pursue similar concepts in the future’.
After fans pressure forced the competition’s collapse with 48 hours of is launch, nine of the original 12 clubs that signed up to join the failed Super League have now agreed to sanctions imposed by UEFA and pledged their future commitment to existing international and domestic club competitions.
Those that have accepted punishment for their actions that threatened the very nature of sport are Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Inter AC Milan and Atletico Madrid. But Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus have refused to back down.
UEFA say they will face ‘appropriate action’, while the others have already agreed to giving up 5% of revenue from one seasons’ worth or European competition and an aggregate donation of €15m.
The stubborn trio continue to claim the Super League was for ‘the good of football’, despite concentrating ridiculous wealth in what was intended to be virtually a closed competition, and that it would ‘reinforce global interest’ in football.
They say they will ‘reconsider the proposed approach’ but claim it would be ‘highly irresponsible’ to abandon the project altogether because of what they call a ‘systemic crisis’ in the football industry.