European Super League a coup by the big clubs to seize full control
LaLiga president Javier Tebas penned an open letter following Thursday’s announcement, calling plans for a new European Super League a “coup”.
A22, the PR company behind the league, this week unveiled new plans for the competition, which currently only features Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus.
They proposed an open 60-80 team competition to effectively replace the Champions League, but Tebas has repelled their plans.
Here is the full letter from Tebas:
“On Thursday, the European football community woke up to a pamphlet of 10 principles designed to make Europe’s favorite sport better than ever. Its “author”, Bernd Reichart, entered the sporting world just four months ago as CEO of A22 Sports, an agency funded by friends of Real Madrid President Florentino Pérez, the mastermind behind this initiative, which he has supported for many years in the Makes sense, not just since the presentation of the European Super League in 2021. Those of us who were close to Florentino Perez know exactly what his professional football model is: the big club model.
“So what is this incredible recipe for success that Mr. Reichart is presenting? A “multi-divisional competition with a total of 60 to 80 teams” that is selected “according to annual athletic performance” and without “permanent members”. Financially, he promises stability and predictability through “at least 14 European games per season.” All of this, of course, without calendar problems.
“Incredible. Certainly amazing. But there is more. Following his principles, European domestic leagues would also thrive and receive more resources through this newly formed European league. And even more incredible, fans playing away would enjoy trips to more exciting matches. ” and better stadium experiences than ever before.
“All of this would be possible thanks to a new governance model governed by the clubs. Which clubs? Certainly only the big clubs. The small and medium-sized ones will not be able to participate or be decisive in exchange for the ‘alms’.” the big.
“Don’t be fooled. This is the latest attempt by the big clubs to hijack European football. Over the years, through various agencies, big clubs have repeatedly taken hostage the various governing bodies of European football, accumulating increasing amounts of money and power for themselves .” .
“Mr Reichart is the new face of a coup by the big clubs to take full control and make European football a sport for the elite, not for everyone.
“The competition dreamed up by Mr. Reichart and his friends is a coup against the European football model and would end the national championships whatever they say, hence the unanimous opposition of national leagues of all sizes. Mr. Reichart intends to teach lessons to all European leagues .Does he really think the league leaders are ignorant?
“Today, the UEFA Conference League, Europa League and Champions League are HORIZONTAL competitions that top domestic championships across Europe. Clubs from each country qualify for different levels of European competitions based on performance in their domestic league. This brings emotion and passion to fans across the continent. Nobody starts out in national competition with anything certain.
“This “open” model by Mr. Reichart with several divisions “based on meritocracy” is reserved for the BIG CLUBS in the first league. This premier league has no direct access from the domestic competitions. It is intended to transfer the “vertical” model of the NATIONAL LEAGUES to EUROPE, which would mean the sporting and economic destruction of the domestic leagues.
“This means that first place in a national league would no longer have direct access to the first league in Europe. This first European category is reserved for the very big ones. Its financial security rests on the sporting and economic ruin of all the national leagues, its clubs and much of the wealth generated around it.
“National leagues now account for 75% of the revenue generated in European football. There are more than 40 professional leagues and associations in Europe, more than 1,500 professional clubs, more than 53,000 professional footballers, more than 75,000 non-sporting employees who together generate more than 25 billion euros in sales and many jobs around it.
“Do Mr. Reichart and his friends think they are the smartest and the rest, UEFA, associations, leagues, clubs and fans, the stupidest?”