UEFA says players at Super League clubs will be banned from national teams, including for EURO 2020 and World Cup.
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UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin spoke during the executive committee meeting in Switzerland about the proposed plan and did not hold back.
At all.
“The players who will play in teams that might play in the closed league will be banned from playing in the World Cup and Euros, so they will not be able to represent their national teams at any matches,” Ceferin said.
LATEST from ProSoccerTalk: The Premier League has issued a strongly-worded statement on the idea of a European Super League, as a 15-team competition replacing the UEFA Champions League is planned to begin as early as 2023-24.
Cue outrage across the soccer world with legal action planned by domestic leagues, national associations and governing bodies to try and halt this plan, while the likes of Porto, Borussia Dortmund and others have revealed they rejected the chance to join.
Premier League clubs Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham have all agreed to join the Super League with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus also signing up.
The 12 “Founding Clubs” have officially announced their proposed competition, “the Super League,” and revealed that “a further three clubs will join ahead of the inaugural season, which is intended to commence as soon as practicable.”
he 12 founding members have also stepped down from the European Club Association (ECA), which was led by Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli who is seen as the architect of this plan. The ECA have been in lengthy negotiations with UEFA over the restructuring of the Champions League in recent years, and some see this Super League plan as a ploy to get more concessions from European soccer’s governing body.
UEFA has issued a separate statement condemning the idea and threatening domestic, European, and world bans for clubs and possibly even international team bans for players on teams in a European Super League. UEFA also thanked the Bundesliga and Serie A giants for not signing onto the idea.
Here is the Premier League’s statement:
The Premier League condemns any proposal that attacks the principles of open competition and sporting merit which are at the heart of the domestic and European football pyramid.
Fans of any club in England and across Europe can currently dream that their team may climb to the top and play against the best. We believe that the concept of a European Super League would destroy this dream.
The Premier League is proud to run a competitive and compelling football competition that has made it the most widely watched league in the world. Our success has enabled us to make an unrivalled financial contribution to the domestic football pyramid.
A European Super League will undermine the appeal of the whole game, and have a deeply damaging impact on the immediate and future prospects of the Premier League and its member clubs, and all those in football who rely on our funding and solidarity to prosper.
We will work with fans, The FA, EFL, PFA and LMA, as well as other stakeholders, at home and abroad, to defend the integrity and future prospects of English football in the best interests of the game.
