Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid have promised that they will continue with their plans for a European Super League after winning an important court case against UEFA – European football’s governing body.
The 12 clubs that are to form the proposed breakaway league have had their disciplinary proceedings against them by the governing body, thrown out by a court in Madrid. The European Court of Justice in Luxembourg will now determine the outcome of the case. In an announcement on April 18, 12 clubs announced they were founding members of the Super League. However, the competition was over in 72 hours following nine clubs’ withdrawals amid protest from fans, opposition from UEFA, FIFA, domestic leagues as well as the British Government and Royal Family. UEFA fined Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan and AC Milan approximately £7m each in addition to fining five percent of their prize money.
According to a Spanish court, however, the penalties must be removed while ongoing disciplinary proceedings are terminated against Barca, Juve, and Madrid – all of whom have adhered to the project. These three clubs have pledged to break UEFA’s grip on club football in Europe, citing the “monopolistic position” of UEFA as a major reason.
A joint statement on their websites read: “FC Barcelona, Juventus, and Real Madrid CF welcome today’s Court’s decision enforcing, with immediate effect, UEFA’s obligation to unwind the actions taken against all European Super League founding clubs, including terminating the disciplinary proceedings against the undersigning three clubs and removing the penalties and restrictions imposed on the remaining nine founding clubs for them to avoid UEFA’s disciplinary action.”
