Thread by @tariqpanja

Top European Soccer Teams Agree to Join Breakaway League - the most detailed account so far on what could be the most seismic moment in European football for decades: nytimes.com/2021/04/18/spo…

The teams that have signed up so far are limited to a large contingent from England, three from Italy and three from Spain. Details of who's in is in the story. League underwritten by debt financing from JP Morgan. Question is who is backing the debt. State institution?

Leadership of UEFA and top leagues have been huddled in emergency talks all weekend to plot a fightback. Ideas include banishing teams from domestic leagues and next season's Champions League. Super League not expected to start until 2022.

And what of FIFA? Do they really oppose this? Would fit in well with the global model Gianni Infantino would love to create, with regional Super Leagues that could feed into a biennial Club World Cup

German teams and PSG so far watching from the sidelines. Nasser al Khelaifi --like Andrea Agnelli of Juve -- sits on UEFA's board. That's going to be a fun board meeting tomorrow. Can't imagine Agnelli will show up at this point.

As for the Italian teams, completely fits the Juventus owner Andrea Agnelli's agenda for who has publicly and privately lambasted Serie A for some time. AC Milan owned by a US hedgefund have been pushing hard because they are no longer among Europe's elite on merit.

As for Inter, they are a financial basket case. This offers some immediate relief for their Chinese owners.

Whatever happens, the governance structure of European football and key relationships based on trust are now likely to be irreparably broken. United's Ed Woodward for example sat on a UEFA committee that endorsed Champions League reforms just this past Friday!

Among the most curious/damning details is this business. Talk about pulling the rug from under those that turn to you for leadership.

The Glazers and Florentino Perez have never really hidden their motivation for projects like this. But Liverpool's owners have presented themselves as good custodians, in tune with feelings of their fans. And yet, among the hardest backers of elite takeover.

To think that not so longer ago Agnelli sought to create a friendship with the UEFA president, who with this move, he has effectively knifed. (Some revealing details from an NYT story published in 2019)

Premier League first of the three leagues impacted to release a statement. Obviously they’re deeply concerned:

Now a joint statement from UEFA, English, Spanish and Italian FAs and leagues in those three countries to say they are determined to stop “this cynical project”.

UEFA statement renews threat that clubs and players that participate in any bandit league would banished from all domestic and international competitions sanctioned by FIFA/UEFA. So that would be leagues but also World Cups and Euros. (Still, FIFA has been very quiet today).

Atalanta just beat Juve 1-0 in Serie A.
Here's Juve pres Agnelli last year on Atalanta's presence in Champions League: "Without international history and thanks to just one great season, they had direct access into the primary European club competition. Is that right or not?”

Streaming company DAZN has issued a statement to dismiss reports in Italy saying it would be the official broadcast partner of the Super League, or that its billionaire owner would back it.

As expected punchy statement from group representing European football fans. (And there’s a line in this that those that run AC Milan might find rather pointed.)

Bundesliga CEO weighs in to offer his support to the three leagues, FAs whose teams have signed up to breakaway Super League. Says move borne out of desire of handful of elite teams to enrich themselves.

And here are the Bundesliga CEOs comments with English translation:

So many statements expressing indignation. FAs, Leagues and now even governments. But still nothing from FIFA - football's governing body. All very odd.

La Liga CEO Javier Tebas blasting Super League plans in his own inimitable style

Another funny wrinkle. The Serie A board held an emergency meeting to discuss the Super League. Two of the board members - Paolo Scaroni (AC Milan) and Beppe Marotta (Inter) - work for teams that have signed up for the breakaway Super League. 🤪

As if this story hasn’t stoked enough negative reaction, it appears as though the rebel clubs are planning to make a statement at time that will clash with tonight’s episode of Line of Duty.

Manchester United have probably hired as many spokesmen and PR consultants as players in recent times. And it’s left to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to field questions about the breakaway Super League they’ve spent months engineering. Brave.

Having no fans inside their stadiums may also be a boost to the breakaway bandit group. Would mean they don’t have to hear the howls of disapproval of their match going supporters.

As were. CHIS says we will probably be able to get to the end of the episode before potential on the record statement arrives. 🥳

Beyond the realms of possibility that last minute cash inducements being made to teams not originally on the list to fluff up Super League participants? Calls to big teams in small markets ?

Would make an interesting thought experiment if a bunch of Europeans took control of the top NFL or NBA teams and decided to completely overhaul how fans of those teams/sports enjoyed their games solely to maximise value of their investments.

UK prime minister joins president of France’s office in condemning clubs plotting breakaway European Super League

The European Club Association whose president Andrea Agnelli is one of those who’ve signed up to the breakaway says its members are still committed to working with UEFA on Champions League reforms. Would be funny if not so serious. ECA no longer credible as institution.

That the ECA statement was issued without being signed by anyone is quite telling. Expect Agnelli to lose his roles on Uefa and ECA in coming days. Woodward, Gazidis and others, too, no doubt.

The statement comes after ECA held an emergency meeting. Some of the 12 breakaway clubs failed to attend the meeting, contrary to reports, others in breakaway group did join but only in voyeur capacity. Not a single one spoke up. None of the 6 English teams joined meeting.

After Juventus’s 1-0 loss to Atlanta, Real Madrid held 0-0 by Getafe. Super clubs doing super things.

My guess about why these guys are so belligerent and so confident in pushing this through beyond possible wink and nod from FIFA is they have signed up a major partner, could be a big tech company. Thinking Facebook, Apple etc. Let’s see what next hours bring.

In other times these “super” clubs facing a cash crunch could have turned to a firm specialising in factoring to lend them a few bob like, say, er ... Greensill. Oh well.

Waiting for a European Super League announcement at a time when most of Europe is turning in for the night. They really don’t care about the domestic market do they?

Anyone seen either of these two guys today?

And here we go. Confirmation of The New York Times reporting today: 12 clubs to form Super League, expect three more to join.

And Juventus, which is listed on the Italian stock exchange, has issued this statement:

€3.5bn to be shared among the founding member clubs. That’s the line in the press release that you should focus on. An extraordinary amount of money for a group that currently numbers 12 and won’t be higher than 15.

Andrea Agnelli has resigned as president of the ECA and also walked away from his seat on the UEFA Exco. Juventus has also left the ECA.

FIFA finally steps in. Somewhat belatedly says it is aligned with Uefa and national FAs and leagues in opposing Super League

This paragraph has serious Project Big Picture vibes

Intervention now from a European Commission Vice President. Uefa has been lobbying the EU. EU intervention could be a game changer

Taking a closer look at that FIFA statement, it's not really a disavowal of *this* breakaway project. But of any attempt to form a "closed European breakaway league". Super League backers say there will be FIVE open slots per season. Time will tell where FIFA really stands.

While most other clubs involved in Super League project have now issued statements on their own channels, Manchester United which seems to accumulate new PR men and spin doctors on a weekly basis still hasn't. Why the reluctance?

The annual “solidarity” payments these guys talks about to benefit the whole of the European football pyramid amount to just €434m per year.

Funny situation where we now have three Champions League semi finalists that have signed an agreement to essentially destroy the Champions League.

Super League company has written to FIFA and UEFA presidents last night warning them that they have already started taken legal action to prevent football authorities from blocking their plans for the breakaway league

A motion has been filed in multiple courts to ensure nothing can block these guys from having their way. UEFA, leagues and FAs considering their own legal options. (Still have sense FIFA might not be that upset about this).

They say without taking legal action the €4bn of financing would be at risk, and they are taking any and all measures necessary to protect that money they have secured.

All still continues to be done behind the scenes silently. A statement released and yet not a single one of the architects put forward for the interview. Just like when Project Big Picture leaked, the Glazers and FSG remain in the shadows, unable/unwilling to speak up.

Perhaps unsurprisingly the 12 rebel clubs have now left the European Club Association. The organisation's board is now gutted, having lost president and vice presidents.

Super Clubs Flex Muscles by Launching Action to Protect Their Breakaway - FIFA and UEFA warned in menacing letter

nytimes.com/2021/04/19/spo…

Just in, UEFA's executive committee has unanimously voted through the new 36 team Champions League to start in 2024. Among those that voted was Nasser al-Khelaifi, the PSG president.

UEFA is planning its own legal attack. Discussions to file claims against 12 clubs and even some of their executives amid rising anger that these plans have already devalued UEFA property: nytimes.com/2021/04/19/spo…

A reminder here of what UEFA new 36 team Champions League will look like, courtesy of our graphics genius @wardnyt and me:

nytimes.com/interactive/20…

Word on that 10bn euro bribe/solidarity offer Super League clubs are making it to European football. They claim it is more than UEFA currently pays. But that is not strictly true. In terms of "solidarity" yes perhaps, but UEFA distributes cash to 64 UCL and UEL teams not just 20

Rich club power grab makes the front of the paper of record. Unusual times.

UEFA stance not softening overnight. The breakaway clubs will face expulsion from next season's Champions League even if their own Super League isn't in place to start in August. Hard to invite the arsonist threatening to burn your house down over for dinner I guess.

⚽️Significant development: Karl Heinz Rummenigge, chairman of Bayern Munich, is to join UEFA’s executive committee in place of Juve’s Andrea Agnelli who resigned after knifing UEFA by signing up to breakaway. Rummenigge’s presence a blow to those hoping to entice Bayern to ESL.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has just battered Ed Woodward, Andrea Agnelli and Ivan Gazidis. Has labeled them as "snakes" and "liars"

Ceferin said Agnelli called him on Saturday morning to say he backed UEFA's Champions League reforms, said he would speak again in an hour and then turned his phone off.

Ceferin says Ed Woodward called him on Thursday, saying he too backed the reforms, was all for it though was concerned about FFP. But by then he had already signed up to the Super League.

Ceferin says FIFA president Gianni Infantino has told him that he will strongly condemn the Super League when he addresses the UEFA Congress tomorrow.

fter reminding us that he worked for years as a criminal lawyer. Ceferin had this to say about Agenelli: "I have never seen a person that would lie as persistently as he did."

In light of Super League developments, La Liga is hosting an emergency meeting of its clubs on Thursday. Guess which three haven't been invited.

The Battle Lines Are Drawn:
Clubs have called in the lawyers, Ceferin has called them liars and snakes.
Another totally normal day in football.

nytimes.com/2021/04/19/spo…

Blinking into the light, the European Club Association issues a statement lambasting its former leaders:

Word of a fractious Serie A meeting today. Three breakaway clubs roundly criticised by others, but Andrea Agnelli - who seems to have taken on the role of Super League punchbag - was berated the most.

So that Super League announcement has already cost UEFA a potential Champions League, Europa League rights deal. Australian streaming site says it is withdrawing its bid because of “uncertainty”

So Florentino Perez appeared on a Spanish TV show and made misleading statement after misleading statement about Super League. The interviewer made no effort to correct him. Embarrassing.

European Super League media strategy:

🤪 First official statement announcing launch of new European competition after most of Europe has gone to bed.

🤪 Chairman of new Super League picks a trashy Spanish talk show broadcast at midnight for first interview on the subject.

UK government running with this condemnation of Super League. Welcome distraction for them given they had been struggling to shake off questions about sleaze involving ministers and the Greensill scandal

Another sign that this has been brewing was perhaps in how for months Andrea Agnelli used every public appearance to push higher the estimates for pandemic related losses. This is the excuse his Super League group are pushing for their breakaway.

Gianni Infantino uses speech at UEFA Congress to address ESL rebels: "If some elect to go their own way then they must live with the consequences of their choice, they are responsible for their choice - concretely this means, either you are in, or you are out."

Yet Infantino stopped short of saying players will be banned from national teams, World Cups etc. That is what FIFA had been saying. Something changed? Legal issue?

Link to speeches by Infantino and Ceferin at UEFA Congress here. Both powerful in their own ways:

uefa.com/insideuefa/abo…

P.S.G chairman Nasser al Khelaifi goes public in his opposition to Super League and commitment to stick with UEFA. Big blow this for breakaway clubs.