Fan fury kills Super League
EPL sides among nine founding teams who exit breakaway group amid intense pressure
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A large group of supporters demonstrating their displeasure with the European Super League (ESL) outside Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium before their Premier League match against Brighton on Tuesday. Chelsea yesterday joined the five other English clubs in announcing their withdrawal from the ESL.
PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
LONDON • The European Super League (ESL) yesterday collapsed as nine of the 12 founding members from England, Italy and Spain abandoned the breakaway project under massive pressure from fans, politicians, football officials and even the British royal family.
Founder and Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli told Reuters he was reluctantly calling time on the new league after the six English clubs - Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham withdrew on Tuesday.
Italy's Inter Milan and AC Milan and Spain's Atletico Madrid followed suit yesterday.
Agnelli, one of the key drivers of the project, said he still believed in the merits of the ESL despite the overwhelming criticism and had no regrets about how the breakaway had been conducted.
"I remain convinced of the beauty of that project," the Italian insisted, adding that it would have been the best competition in the world.
Juventus, who have yet to officially pull out, along with Barcelona and Real Madrid, stopped short of saying the ESL was dead but said it recognised there were limited chances of the project being completed in the form originally conceived.
The Italian club said in a statement it was aware certain clubs intended to leave but they had yet to complete the necessary procedures under the ESL agreement.
The ESL argued it would increase revenue for the top football clubs in Europe and allow them to distribute more money to the rest of the game.
However, the sport's governing bodies, other teams and fan organisations said the league would only boost the power and wealth of elite clubs, and that the partially closed structure went against European football's long-standing model.
Players, fans, pundits and politicians celebrated the U-turns of the English teams on Tuesday that left the breakaway league in tatters and pushed other founding members to jump ship.
"This is the right result for football fans, clubs, and communities across the country. We must continue to protect our cherished national game," British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.
Liverpool's principal owner John Henry yesterday apologised in a video on the club's website and social media.
"It goes without saying but should be said that the project put forward was never going to stand without the support of the fans," the American said. "I alone am responsible for the unnecessary negativity brought forward over the past couple of days.
"It's something I won't forget and shows the power the fans have today and will rightly continue to have."
Having triggered an enormous backlash, the ESL said on Tuesday it would reconsider and "reshape" the project, while United announced executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, another strong proponent, would step down from his role by the end of the year.
The news dominated the front page of British newspapers.
Defeat of Greed", declared the Daily Mail, while The Daily Telegraph proclaimed a "victory for fans" and the Times of London said the clubs involved had bowed to "fan fury".
The players of the 12 founding clubs, who reportedly had no say in its formation, were just as delighted the competition was as good as dead.
"What a beautiful day for football. Let's keep playing, let's keep fighting, let's keep dreaming," said City defender Benjamin Mendy.
Amid celebrations over the dissolution, anger remained. Some pundits said the owners of the English teams would never be forgiven.
"They were going to sell the souls of our major football institutions," said former Liverpool midfielder Graeme Souness. "I don't know how these clubs will manage to get back onside."
However, Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin used a more conciliatory tone, claiming he wanted to "rebuild the unity" of the European football body.
"I said yesterday it is admirable to admit a mistake and these clubs made a big mistake," the Slovenian said. "But they are back in the fold now. I know they have a lot to offer... The important thing now is that we move on, rebuild the unity that the game enjoyed before this and move forward together.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
