SUPER LEAGUE TRIO Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus insisted on Wednesday they “remain committed to modernising football” despite UEFA’s threats of disciplinary action.
UEFA on Tuesday opened formal disciplinary proceedings against the three clubs which are still refusing to give up the aborted Super League project.
In a joint statement, Italian’s Juventus and the two Spanish sides said they “remain committed to modernising football through an open dialogue with UEFA”.
“FC Barcelona, Juventus FC and Real Madrid CF wish to express their absolute rejection of the insistent coercion that UEFA has been maintaining towards three of the most relevant institutions in the history of football,” the statement read.
“This alarming attitude constitutes a flagrant breach of the decision of the courts of justice, which have already made a clear statement warning UEFA to refrain from taking any action that could penalise the founding clubs of the Super League while the legal proceedings are ongoing.
“Therefore, the opening of disciplinary proceedings by UEFA is incomprehensible and is a direct attack against the rule of law that we, the citizens of the European Union, have democratically built up, while constituting a lack of respect toward the authority of the courts of justice themselves.”
UEFA’s statutes prohibit any “grouping or alliance” between clubs without its authorisation.
By announcing their own private Super League on the night of April 18-19, the 12 clubs turned European football on its head and threatened the very existence of UEFA.
The withdrawal of the six English participants after 48 hours led to the project being shelved.
The two Milan clubs followed and the nine agreed in early May to pay a combined 15 million euros and to forgo five per cent of their European revenue for one season.
Real, Barcelona and Juventus meanwhile retaliated through a Commercial Court in Madrid which referred the matter to the European Court of Justice, asking if UEFA was abusing its “dominant position” by seeking to block a competing tournament.
“From the beginning, the Super League has been promoted with the aim of improving the situation of European football, through permanent dialogue with UEFA and with the objective to increase the interest in the sport and to offer fans the best possible show,” Wednesday’s statement read.
“This objective has to be achieved in a framework of sustainability and solidarity, especially in a precarious economic situation such as the one many clubs in Europe are currently experiencing.
“Instead of exploring ways of modernising football through open dialogue, UEFA expects us to withdraw the ongoing court proceedings that question their monopoly over European football.
“Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid, all of them more than a century old, will not accept any form of coercion or intolerable pressure, while they remain strong in their willingness to debate, respectfully and through dialogue, the urgent solutions that football currently needs.
“Either we reform football or we will have to watch its inevitable downfall.”
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Roy Keane has turned into the very thing he hates – a show clown!
@Pat Rascal: you’re obviously a poo fan
@anthony davoren: a poo fan? Anto try get it right ! Roy be disappointed with your feeble comeback.
@anthony davoren: idiot alert.
@anthony davoren: seriously – what age are you?
@Graham: jaysus ye are all out tonight
@colin coady: hardly a comeback,.just stating the obvious based on his cynical comment
@anthony davoren: You left out the letter L but still managed to touch a nerve.
@Pat Rascal: And I haven’t forgiven him for Saipan, when push came to shove he fu€&ed off in the one tournament that we had a real chance in if any one is old enough to remember.
Most entertaining maybe but not the best, give me a sadlier or kerr anyway. They provide such indepth analysis that rue football fans love. Roy is for the casual fan
@Phil: anyday*
@Phil: Sadlier is the best imo. Kerr good also. Keane doesn’t come close to these guys.
@Phil: damian Delaney is excellent
@Ray Ridge: Sky aren’t interested in in-depth analysis of the game. They’re interested in stats and sensationalism. Keane does what he’s told because they pay his wages. That’s about the size of it. Kerr, Delaney and Sadlier are by far the better “pundits” imo.
Roy has become the king of sound bites.
And the worst – winner by a country mile. Ex red Mr Spitty who shows zero balance in his alleged analysis. Should have been sacked!
What a nonsense article! Keano is a United legend but average pundit. Mostly he’s there to get a reaction from the other pundits. Oh and it’s TP (initials of player from previous article)
@G Bot: Gavin talking out of his hole.To much snow (actual snow )
It’s great to see Keane find success/happiness after retirement as a player. For years he was bitter about how he was fired until he became a much loved pundit.
But Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Ian Wright and Micah Richards are equally as interesting to listen to as Keane.
@Caolan Z: “big meeks” is dreadful to listen to.
He comes out with the same guff every week.
Not getting stuck in
Not wanting it enough
He has to do better.
@Brendan Coleman: That’s exactly the issue Amorim has with Rashford since he joined the club recently, not doing enough and not getting stuck in, so what’s wrong with Roy Keane as a pundit exposing the same shortcomings in Rashfords and others game. By his own admission Keane never regarded himself as a gifted footballer but he showed leadership, got stuck in and done enough to help Man. Utd, have so much success. As a manager he took Sunderland from the bottom of the Championship table to winning it the same season. Just name me another Irish born soccer player that achieved more success in their football career than Roy Keane?
Brian Kerr and Richie Sadlier far better at analysing the game. Keane is there for the novelty factor.
But that’s his job !!
@ Robert conway. Agreed about Carraher. That a h**e Neville as well so bias towards the other team in red.
The ManUre fans love him.
Best pundit…….No. Most entertaining… Yes.
He’s become everything he pretended to hate
He is probably the most famous pundit based on his quick wit and playing career. He is also probably the most entertaining pundit.
I think the likes of Delaney and Kerr are better pundits and can explain tactical stuff in an easy to understand way.
Worst pundit for anyone who knows anything about the game , great for the clueless masses