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Super League: An Explainer On Europe’s Breakaway Tournament

  The football world woke up to one of its biggest surprises on Monday when a breakaway competition, the European Super League was announced.  Advertisement … Continue reading Super League: An Explainer On Europe’s Breakaway Tournament


This combination of file pictures made on April 19, 2021, shows the logos of the following European football clubs: (top, L-R) Liverpool on May 30, 2019 in Madrid; Manchester United on July 5, 2013 in Manchester; Arsenal on March 2, 2019 in London; Chelsea on March 13, 2020 in London; (middle, L-R) Manchester City on April 10, 2021 in Manchester; Tottenham Hotspur on March 2, 2019 in London; Real Madrid on May 20, 2014 in Lisbon; Barcelona on September 28, 2016 in Moenchengladbach; (bottom, L-R) Atletico Madrid on May 20, 2014 in Lisbon; Juventus on May 26, 2019 in Genoa; Inter Milan on April 7, 2021 in Milan; and AC Milan on September 10, 2006 in Milan. Paul ELLIS, Pierre-Philippe MARCOU, Odd ANDERSEN, Marco BERTORELLO, Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS, Paco SERINELLI, Isabel INFANTES, Isabella BONOTTO, Tim KEETON, Jose Manuel RIBEIRO / AFP
This combination of file pictures made on April 19, 2021, shows the football clubs for a breakaway Super League.  Paul ELLIS, Pierre-Philippe MARCOU, Odd ANDERSEN, Marco BERTORELLO, Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS, Paco SERINELLI, Isabel INFANTES, Isabella BONOTTO, Tim KEETON, Jose Manuel RIBEIRO / AFP

 

The football world woke up to one of its biggest surprises on Monday when a breakaway competition, the European Super League was announced. 

Under the new arrangement which has continued to generate ripples within the sporting circle, 12 of the world’s biggest football teams will take part in the competition that has cast doubts on the viability of the Champions League as well as domestic leagues across Europe.

“By bringing together the best clubs and best players in the world, the Super League will deliver excitement and drama never before seen in football,”  the Super League said in a statement.

What Is The Super League? 

The European Super League is a new tournament involving twenty teams. Fifteen of the clubs, called founding members, will be joined by five other sides for the competition. These five teams will be picked based on their performances in their local leagues.

Already, six teams from England and another half a dozen from Italy, and Spain will make up the first twelve teams.

Which Teams Will Play In Super League?

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham are the teams from the English Premier League; Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid will represent Spain. Italy’s representatives are Inter Milan, Juventus, and AC Milan.

 

This combination of file pictures made on April 19, 2021, shows the logos of the clubs for a breakaway Super League.  Paul ELLIS, Pierre-Philippe MARCOU, Odd ANDERSEN, Marco BERTORELLO, Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS, Paco SERINELLI, Isabel INFANTES, Isabella BONOTTO, Tim KEETON, Jose Manuel RIBEIRO / AFP

 

Three other yet-to-be-named teams will complete the list of 15  founding members of the new league. Reports, however, suggest that Paris Saint-Germain and two clubs from Germany will make up the number. Although Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have rejected the new competition.

The fifteen founding members are immune to relegation, meaning they’d always take part as far as the league exists.

When Will The Super League Begin?

A statement from the Super League said matches will start “as soon as practicable” with multiple reports suggesting that the new European tournament will start in August.

What Format Will Super League Take? 

Matches will be patterned almost like the UEFA Champions League. It will be a knockout competition.

Under the new arrangement, there would be two groups of ten club sides each – and all teams playing on a home and away basis in midweek. Once the first round of matches is over, the first three teams from each group head to the next stage, the quarter-finals.

There will be a play-off among the fourth and fifth-positioned clubs to fill the two remaining spots in the round of eight.

All quarter-final matches and the semis will hold on a home-and-away- format while the final is set to be played as one game and at a neutral ground in May, just as in the Champions League.

Who Heads The Super League?

A Super League statement indicates that Real Madrid President, Florentino Pére, is the Chairman of the new competition; Andrea Agnelli (Juventus) and Joel Glazer (Manchester United), are Vice Chairmen.

“Football is the only global sport in the world with more than four billion fans and our responsibility as big clubs is to respond to their desires,” the Real Madrid Chairman assured while explaining the projected impact of the new move.

How Much Is At Stake?

Participants are to earn thrice the revenue they get from the UCL, according to renowned sports publication, Marca. Winners of the tournament will rake in about €400 million, a huge top up to the €120 million price tag for the Champions League winners.

“In exchange for their commitment, Founding Clubs will receive an amount of €3.5 billion solely to support their infrastructure investment plans and to offset the impact of the COVID pandemic,” the organizers added.

UEFA Threatens Sanctions

Europe’s football governing body, UEFA, as well as stakeholders in the game have faulted the move. The football body had described it as a “disgrace” and threatened to sanction both clubs and players who take part in the competition.


Leeds United players wear T-shirts with slogans against a proposed new European Super League during the warm up for the English Premier League football match between Leeds United and Liverpool at Elland Road in Leeds, northern England on April 19, 2021. Clive Brunskill / POOL / AFP

 

Already, there are pockets of protests in some cities in Europe and on Monday evening, Leeds United players wore T-shirts with a slogan against a proposed new European Super League during the warm-up for the English Premier League football match between Leeds United and Liverpool at Elland Road in Leeds.

Top players and officials have also spoken against the new competition.