Several European supporters’ associations recalled on Monday their “opposition” to the Super League project, “an existential threat to European football” according to them, at the start of the hearings on the case before the European Court of Justice (CJEU) in Luxemburg.
“The project is a billionaire concept. It is anti-competitive in nature and, if it sees the light of day, it would destroy the key principles on which the European model is based, such as sporting merit, promotions and relegations, qualification for Europe via success ( in competitions at national level and financial solidarity”, explain in a press release groups of fans from around fifteen European countries including France, Spain, England and Germany.
Supporters’ associations also call on their counterparts to join the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI)
Supporters’ associations have always strongly criticized the short-lived Super League project, a semi-private tournament launched in April 2021 by a dozen rebellious clubs who claimed to supplant existing European cups like the Champions League. Monday and Tuesday, the CJEU wonders about the possibility, for the European Football Confederation (UEFA), to protect its competitions by sanctioning the secessionist clubs.
Three of them (Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Juventus Turin) still refuse to deny the project, even if it quickly fell apart in the spring of 2021 in the face of public outcry and opposition from a few big clubs (Paris SG, Bayern Munich). Supporters’ associations are also calling on their counterparts to join the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) “Win it on the pitch”, to ask the European Commission to “protect the integrity of football European”.