When speaking to Catalan radio RAC 1, the Barcelona executive did not hold back on English clubs who have “pulled out” of the European Super League, Laporta stated he “doesn’t give a f—” if Premier League sides decide to play in the league or not.

Laporta also stated that there are over a dozen clubs that support the European Super League and went on to name them, including all but one LaLiga team.

Joan Laporta lists clubs that support European Super League

Laporta sounded off that, “Inter, Milan, Napoli, Roma, Olympique Marseille, Benfica, Porto, Sporting, Ajax, Feyenoord, PSV, Anderlecht, Club Brugge and all Spanish clubs except Atlético Madrid” want the ESL to get off the ground.

The European Super League announced a new 64 team competition back in December, the announcement was more of a theory than actual announcement since besides Barcelona and Real Madrid no other club is truly among the participants of the league or made formal announcements.

In the last year UEFA has done everything possible, including working with governments and leagues to prevent the creation of the Super League, while Bundesliga sides have been strict that they will not take part at all in the ESL.

The FIGC, the Italian Football Federation went one step further, and have approved a clause that is now known as “the anti- Super League” clause which prevents their teams from partaking in the competition.

Famed transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano reported, “Italian Federation FIGC decided to approve clause to prohibit access to the Super League to Italian clubs… FIGC will not allow to join any competition other than UEFA, FIFA and FIGC ones. If any club joins Super League, it will be excluded from Serie A 2024/2025.”

European Super League difficulties

After the recent announcement that the Super League had won their court battle with UEFA, many top teams, and leagues from all over the world denounced the ESL.

Teams such as Bayern Munich and leagues like the Premier League all put out statements saying they would not participate in any capacity in the ESL.

It is important to note that the European Super League once had Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham Hotspur all on board when the league was announced back in 2021.

The ESL was met with widespread criticism and fan anger, leading to supporter marches in front of the stadiums, in less than 24 hours most of the teams backed out from the original announcement leaving Barcelona and Real Madrid as the only two clubs who continue to push for the league’s creation.

With the Italian Federation’s announcement, Juventus, AC Milan, and Inter Milan would be kicked out of Serie A if they were able to do an about face and return to the ESL.

First of all, only Barcelona and Real Madrid are left as members of the ESL, with other clubs looking to join to little fanfare. Major clubs like Bayern Munich have rejected the league, as well as Ligue 1 in France. While Premier League clubs may be interested in joining the ESL, there is a law in Britain where soccer clubs can’t just jump ship and stop playing in UEFA competitions.

The biggest hurdle for the European Super League, especially after its failed first attempt, is to find a way to bypass laws established in many European countries that basically put European soccer in the hands of UEFA.

Aleksander Čeferin with harsh response to European Super League ruling

Despite coming out the loser of the ruling UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin was not holding back the issues the ESL has at the moment, “We will not try to stop them. They can create whatever they want. I hope they start their top competition as soon as possible… with two clubs. Football is not for sale”.

Maybe the most powerful league in Europe, the Premier League issued an official statement rejecting the league stating: “The ruling does not endorse the so-called “European Super League” and the Premier League continues to reject any such concept. Supporters are of vital importance to the game, and they have time and again made clear their opposition to a “breakaway” competition that severs the link between domestic and European football.”

Clubs and leagues rejecting the ESL continues

Besides Bayern Munich, Atlético Madrid, Ligue 1, and the Premier League, Serie A side Roma also rejected the creation of the ESL.

PSG also have come out and rejected the ESL, “Paris Saint-Germain totally and utterly rejects any plans for a so-called Super League, which has been the case from day one and will always remain the case”.

Borussia Dortmund also rejected the league, already showing that the ESL will have difficulty getting off the ground.

“The FIFA and UEFA rules making any new interclub football project subject to their approval, such as the Super League, and prohibiting players from playing in those competitions, are unlawful,” the ruling stated. The ruling also stated that UEFA and FIFA were “abusing a dominant position” in holding the creation of the league back.

A22, the backers of the ESL and La Liga, responded to the ruling with CEO Bernd Reichard stating: “We have won the #RightToCompete. The UEFA-monopoly is over. Football is FREE.”

Potential new format for European Super League explained

Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano reported that the new format for the ESL would consist of the following:

64 teams.
3 divisions (Star, Gold and Blue) with promotions and relegations.

14 games each season per team.
7 at home.
7 away.

It will be an open competition.
Two phases: League and playoffs.

Backlash from clubs

Bayern Munich were the first to voice their concern over the resolution and the validity of the ESL: “It’s very clear: the door for the Super League at FC Bayern remains closed”.

“Such a competition would represent an attack on the importance of domestic leagues and the statics of European football”, club CEO Dreesen stated.

Manchester United’s statement on Super League, “Our position has NOT changed”. We remain fully committed to participation in UEFA competitions, and to positive cooperation with UEFA, the Premier League, and fellow clubs through the ECA on the continued development of the European game”.

Atlético Madrid rejected the Super League, per club statement. “The European football family does not want the European Super League. Germany, France, England, Italy, Spain (except for Real Madrid and Barcelona), etc. do not want the Super League. We are in favor of protecting the European football family, safeguarding domestic leagues, and ensuring that qualification for European competitions is achieved through on-field performance every season”.

Florentino Pérez full speech on Super League

“From Real Madrid we welcome with great satisfaction the decision taken by the Court of Justice of the European Union, which is responsible for guaranteeing our principles, values, and freedoms.

In the coming days we will carefully study the scope of this resolution, but I do anticipate two conclusions of great historical significance.

First of all, that European club football is not and will never be a monopoly again. And secondly, that from today the clubs will be the owners of their destiny. Clubs see fully recognized our right to propose and promote European competitions that modernize our sport and attract fans from all over the world. In short, today the Europe of freedoms has triumphed again and today soccer and its fans have also triumphed.

Faced with the pressures we have received for more than two years, law, reason and freedom are imposed today. And for this reason, Real Madrid will continue to work for the sake of football.

Just as almost seventy years ago we took a fundamental step in the history of soccer with the creation of the European Cup, today we again have the duty and responsibility to give European football the new impetus it needs so much. And for this, we will continue to defend a modern project, fully compatible with national competitions, open to all, based on sporting merit and that will effectively impose respect for financial fair play.

A project that will bring economic sustainability for all clubs and that above all will protect the players and excite fans around the world.

We will do it despite the campaigns we have suffered and that, without a doubt, will intensify from today. But no one said that ending a monopoly after so many decades was simple.

We are facing the great opportunity to improve European club football. A football at the height of the 21st century, with a transparent governance, that knows how to live with new technologies and that once again provokes the passion and emotion that fans really need.

Let me tell the European clubs that we are facing the beginning of a new time in which we can work in freedom from constructive dialogue, without threats, without acting against anything or anyone and with the aim of innovating and modernizing football to continue nurturing the passion of the fans.

From today, the present and future of European football are finally in the hands of clubs, players, and their fans. Our destiny belongs to us, and we have a great responsibility before us.

This day will mark a before and after. It is a great day for the history of football and for the history of sport”.

Ceferin took over aspresident in 2016 after Michel Platini stepped down after his suspension from the organizationfor ethical issues and subsequent appeal loss.During his second tenure, Ceferin successfully fought off the creation of a separate European Super League, and he will now preside over the implementation of a new Champions League structure beginning in the next season.

By 2025/26, teams will be required to spend no more than 70% of their income on player and staff pay, transfers, and agents’ fees under new Financial Fair Play regulations, which the 55-year-oldmay devote more time to pursuing.Ceferin has also come to the Premier League’s defense after it has been under fire from several quarters, notably La Liga president Javier Tebas, for its comparatively high expenditure on TV rights and transfers.

CouldUEFA president Aleksander Ceferin face investigation for recent allegations?

In his home country of Slovenia, Aleksander Ceferin is in the spotlight after a critical profile of the UEFA president was published by the news site Prava.According to the report,Ceferin’s positioncould bein jeopardy since he allegedly included misleading material on his resume.

On his CV, the Slovenianclaims to have served as a director for the now-defunct NK Olimpija Bezigrad between 2006 and 2011, but Prava claims this is not the case. This, it is said, would have rendered him ineligible to become president of UEFA in 2016, a position he eventually won.

To be elected president of European football’s governing body, one has to have served in a similar role before. So far, the articleis the sole piece of evidence offered to argue against Ceferin, but the controversy around the case continues to grow.

The sport of soccer is changing, rumors of a Concacaf Gold Cup in 2025 having nations from all over the world and a Euro-South American Nations League are still being talked about.

The main voices for the European Super League have come from clubs like Barcelona and Real Madrid. Now a current Real Madrid player has made his voice heard on the matter, here is what Toni Kroos had to say.

Toni Kroos on the European Super League

“I think we will see the Super League. And I believe so for several reasons,” Kroos said on his podcast, Einfach mal Luppen. “The idea of the Super League has changed and deserves to be heard.

“If you look carefully from both angles, you will see that UEFA is by no means a great Samaritan for football fans and that the Super League has no plans, at least in the second attempt, to exclude any team, because there will be no permanent founding members.

“It is a sports competition, an open tournament, but managed by the clubs and not by UEFA, because these clubs believe that they do not need UEFA for that. I think this deserves at least one chance.”

“Although we have already talked about the loss of passion for football, I believe that the Super League has the opportunity to reverse that situation”, Kroos stated.

The planned 2021 ESL roster had 12 charter members, threeunknown clubs that were scheduled to join later, and fiveclubs that would qualify each year depending on domestic performance. After considerable criticism, all English sides–Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham–all withdrew their support for the proposal.

Three supporting clubs—Juventus, Barcelona, and Real Madrid—have hired a company called ‘A22’ to oversee the concept’s reorganization and rebranding. The corporation havea formidable challenge, but it seems to be making headway in their pursuit of a more diverse challenger to the UEFA Champions League.

What will the new European Super League be like?

A22 have already had discussions with around 50 soccer teams throughout Europe,and now they are ready to reintroduce the concept with greater accessibility than before.“Clubs take on all entrepreneurial risks, but too often they are forced to remain on the sidelines when key decisions are made and find themselves witnessing the crumbling of their sporting and financial foundations.

“Our discussions have made it clear that clubs are often unable to speak publicly against a system where the threat of sanctions is used to stifle any opposition. Our dialogue has been honest, direct and fruitful. We have come to clear conclusions on the need for change and on what the building blocks are to achieve it”,Bernd Reichart, the company’s CEO, recently commented on the plan, as reported by the German newspaper, Die Welt.

He also added that the reimagined Super League will be a wide-open tournament where clubs would qualify based on their achievements at the national level. Each team would be assured of playing at least 14 regular-season games.

According to Reichart, the new Super League will bring in enough money to finance the whole pyramid, which includes the existing national leagues that serve as ‘the cornerstone’ of the game. Plans for cost-cutting were outlined by the A22 Sports Management Chief Executive Officer, who proposed that teams spend no more than a predetermined amount of their yearly football-related earnings on player wages and net transfers.

The European Super League continues to be met with disdain by players, fans, and pundits all over the world, when it was announced in April 2021 within 24 hours many of the “founding” clubs pulled out and issued apology statements to their fans.

Nonetheless it has been Barcelona and Real Madrid, two of the wealthiest clubs in the world, that continue to push for the league’s creation. In a strange statement, Laporta stated that other interested clubs “have not yet shown their faces” but could enter the league.

What English clubs are interested in joining the European Super League?

According to Laporta on Spanish radio station Cadena SER. “I would not have entered into this project if it was not an open competition, and it was accepted by Real Madrid, Juventus and other clubs that have not yet shown their faces but are very interested in this competition.”

Laporta stated that the European Super League could be direct competition to the Premier League and that he is still in contact with Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham. Although the situations of two of the four clubs is very different from the one they had in April of 2021. Liverpool and Manchester United, both owned by Americans, are rumored to be up for sale and could have new ownership groups in the coming months, making it impossible for either to take a major step like joining the Super League.

Then the ESL has the small matter of the courts, the league will look to appeal the decision made late last year with a final ruling on the matter expected in the coming weeks as the case will return to Madrid’s commercial court. Laporta feels the league’s case is strong and could get a favorable ruling to finally get the European Super League off the ground.

Nonetheless many of the Premier League club owners that pulled out did so under the idea that a proper plan was not in place and no announcement should have been made. Liverpool owner John Henry issued a statement apologizing for the announcement.

Bernd Reichart, the new CEO of A22 Sports Management, the company in charge of revitalizing the European Super League stated to Cadena Ser that the league is very much “alive” with a year it plans to get underway.

European Super League looking for a 2025 launch

Bernd Reichart stated, “There are some who want to declare that it is dead, but if they say it a lot, there is much to suspect… There are clubs in Europe that surely share the vision of Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona, and now they have the opportunity to share what they think. There is a broad consensus that football needs reform. Football cannot continue as it is designed now.”

While Reichart has a point about a soccer reform, it’s hard to imagine the European Super League continuing without the approval of FIFA or UEFA who have stated many times that a Super League is not in the cards.

Earlier this year a Madrid court was able to exonerate the clubs that tried to launch the project from any punishment. The case has since been elevated to Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice (ECJ).

“Until there is certainty from the European Court, it’s unreasonable to think that it could be played before the 2024-25 campaign,” Reichart said. “It’s a long journey, but we have the humility to do it step by step without pause.”

“The concept of a fixed [guaranteed] placement is not something that we are currently considering,” Reichart added. “Sporting merit will be applied to all members of that Super League.”

Although integrating the leagues with the European Super League would also present a huge hurdle as the Premier League issued a statement against its creation last year.

The Catalans’ dire financial position was widely believed to have rendered the club hopeless ahead of the summer transfer season. In any case, the club was deeply in the red, and a quick turnaround looked impossible. But when the summer transfer window opened, they made some of the most jaw-dropping acquisitions in history.

The signings of Robert Lewandowski, Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen, and Raphinha show that the Catalans can pull off the seemingly impossible. Since making several key additions, Barcelona has emerged as a major threat in Spain and Europe.

How Barcelona could receive €700 million influxin 2023

While some of Europe’s top teams explored expansion into the European Super Leaguein 2021, they were forced to abandon their plans due to public backlash.Nonetheless, it was common knowledge that the ‘big three’of Spanish soccer, including Barcelona, supported the formation of a separate league.

The restoration of such a division, according to new information, may help Xavi Hernandez’s team. According to the most up-to-date information supplied byQue T’hi Jugues program on Cadena SER, on December 15, a decision will be made on whether or not the Super League can become a reality.

The Catalan giants stand to gain an incredible €700 million in the first half of 2023, should this happen.One can easily see why Barca would support the formation of the Super League from a purely financial standpoint.

It was recently disclosed that in spite of Lionel Messi departing for free lastsummer, the Camp Nou side still owes significant money to him and four other teams for the transfers of players.If the European Super League is established, it is certainly Barcelona who might benefit greatly from it since the inaugural payment may solve most of the club’s financial problems.

Today the European Super League is just a website, their Twitter profile is a suspended account yet the top executives at Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus are still working on getting it off the ground.

For UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin he continues to admit there is no ill will towards the clubs but there is a watchful eye, “I don’t have a problem with them [Barcelona, Madrid and Juventus], But after they stabbed me and UEFA, I think it’s up to them to call. In the same way that the earth is flat, they still think the Super League exists. At the same time, they were the first to sign up to play in the Champions League this season”, Ceferin told Le Journal du Dimanche.

What is the status of the European Super League?

In the eyes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus the project is still ongoing, while many of the founding clubs pulled out after the public backlash, reports have indicated that some of thefounding clubs of the European Super League are still looking for a way to gain more profits away from UEFA.

In January a Madrid court rejected a bid from UEFA to have the judge who granted an injunction protecting the League removed. Still Ceferin maintains that the league will not happen.

“Nobody wants it [the Super League] except the few who think that football is all about money” added Ceferin.