The proposal for a redesigned Super League has been scornfully dismissed by Uefa, who asserted that “the entire European football opposes their greedy plan.”
A three-person A22 Sports Management delegation reportedly suffered a “mauling” during the two-and-a-half hour meeting with the game’s most important stakeholders on Tuesday in Switzerland, according to BBC Sport.
While Uefa and the influential European Clubs’ Association (ECA) disagree, the A22 group claims to be an independent organisation while acting on behalf of Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus.
Last year, those three clubs decided not to give up on the idea of the European Super League.
When Uefa objected to the wording of a statement issued by A22, which described their meeting with Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin and “a large group of other executives,” their long-simmering dissatisfaction finally burst out.
The 22 additional guests, which included senior members of the ECA, the European leagues, and fan organisations, caught the attention of the three A22 representatives.
Additionally, they claimed that the widespread dismissal of their position was anticipated and that some clubs had already begun talking to them about their intentions.
The governing body of European football, Uefa, responded with a stinging statement that was sent out less than three hours after the first one.
Uefa said: “A22 Sports Management has published an account of their visit to Uefa Headquarters in Nyon today. Uefa is currently checking the recording to see if they are talking about the same meeting.
“The ‘other executives’ they refer to were not faceless bureaucrats but senior stakeholders from across European football, players, clubs, leagues and fans; people who live and breathe the game every day. To fail to recognise that is disrespectful.
“If there is a ‘takeaway’ from today, it should be that the whole of European football opposes their greedy plan.
“A22 wanted dialogue so we gave them 2.5 hours of time from all of the game’s stakeholders and each one rejected their approach. They claim not to represent the three remaining clubs. They refuse to define what their alleged new approach is. They claim to want dialogue. But when presented with the chance, they have nothing to say.”
Uefa and the ECA said they remain opposed to the concept of a breakaway league.
A22 dismissed these comments.
“We are heartened by the fact that we have already been contacted by and are in conversations with numerous clubs who wish to take part in this dialogue to develop a sustainable foundation for European club football,” said A22 chief executive Bernd Reichart.
A22 believes Uefa has no automatic right to run European football.
