Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Sources: Clubs to write to Perez to end ESL plans

Written by 
Published in Soccer
Friday, 04 June 2021 14:15

The six Premier League clubs originally involved in the European Super League are planning to ask Florentino Perez to dissolve the company created to launch the project, multiple sources have told ESPN.

On April 18, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Chelsea -- alongside Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Atletico Madrid -- announced their participation in the Super League, naming Perez as president.

- Stream LIVE games and replays on ESPN+ (U.S. only)

The scheme was intended as a replacement for UEFA's Champions League, but just days later, the six English clubs, Inter, Milan and Atletico decided to withdraw in the face of widespread opposition.

Madrid, Barca and Juve were left as the three remaining clubs wishing to push ahead with the plans, but the company which the 12 founding clubs set up to administer the Super League still exists.

Sources told ESPN that in the next few days, the Premier League clubs -- having notified Inter, Milan and Atletico -- will formally ask Perez to dissolve that company.

Once the Madrid president has received that request, a source told ESPN, he would have between two and four weeks to call a board meeting of all members to disband the Super League.

The source added that if Perez were to refuse to do so, the six Premier League clubs would consider taking legal action to force the issue.

A source at one of the English clubs stressed to ESPN the legal complexities involved, with uncertainty surrounding how many clubs are required to come together to trigger a dissolution and whether they can do so without resorting to the courts.

UEFA has accepted the steps taken by the nine founding clubs to distance themselves from the project, but has begun disciplinary proceedings against Madrid, Barca and Juve.

Last month, ESPN reported that the three remaining clubs were facing a punishment that could include being banned from the Champions League for two seasons.

This week, La Liga president Javier Tebas -- a vocal critic of the Super League -- said that he believed the clubs could be excluded from Europe's top club competition.

"Rather than a punishment, UEFA could not register Madrid and Barcelona in the Champions League. I think they could be left out," Tebas told Spain's GOL TV.

However, the clubs have remained defiant, with Barca president Joan Laporta having said he remains in favour of the plans and would be willing to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the face of a punishment.

"We are not planning to apologise for thinking," he said. "If they punish us, we'll go to CAS and we're sure that we'll win.

"There was pressure from governments, countries and UEFA itself and the format of the competition doesn't exist. Now there's a company with the rights, which have been recognised by a judge, and the judge has sent the case to [the European Court of Justice] to confirm that we have this right.

"If we wanted to organise the competition, we could. We will sit down with UEFA, FIFA and everyone. We defend it because we have this problem and we're suffering. UEFA say that it's going to solve it, but it hasn't. We have to look for a better, more attractive format."

Earlier on Friday, Juve president Andrea Agnelli had said the ESL proposal was a "cry for help" in the face of a "system which is heading towards insolvency."

ESPN's Mark Ogden, James Olley and Alex Kirkland contributed to this report

Read 270 times

Soccer

FIFA donates $50m for Qatar World Cup legacy

FIFA donates $50m for Qatar World Cup legacy

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFIFA launched a $50 million legacy fund for social programmes on We...

Guardiola sorry for self-harm remark after draw

Guardiola sorry for self-harm remark after draw

EmailPrintManchester City boss Pep Guardiola has apologised for suggesting he wanted to hurt himself...

Guardiola's new Man City deal means nothing if stars don't sign extensions, too

Guardiola's new Man City deal means nothing if stars don't sign extensions, too

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsManchester City did the easy part by having manager Pep Guardiola s...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

KD, Beal return as Suns' big 3 leads rout of Lakers

KD, Beal return as Suns' big 3 leads rout of Lakers

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsPHOENIX -- Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant each scored 23 points and...

Giannis out vs. Heat due to pregame knee issue

Giannis out vs. Heat due to pregame knee issue

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMIAMI -- Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is out for Tues...

Baseball

Champion Dodgers adding Snell, sources say

Champion Dodgers adding Snell, sources say

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFree agent left-hander Blake Snell and the Los Angeles Dodgers have...

Dodgers split $46M from record MLB playoff pool

Dodgers split $46M from record MLB playoff pool

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- A full postseason share for the World Series champion L...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated