Ceferin: “The players who participate in this closed league will not be able to play with their national teams”

Aleksander Čeferin, president of UEFA, has shown the official position of the most important establishment of European football regarding the creation of the Super League, in the Executive Committee this Monday, in which the new Champions League for 2024 has been approved , and his pulse has not trembled in his warnings.

This is how Čeferin began: “They are dramatic and crucial moments. We started this project to modernize the process of our competitions. We had the support of the ECA. All clubs are ranked on merit, not like a closed store. Playing in the Champions League depends on results on the pitch. Football has to be united in the face of this misfortune after the position of some clubs with particular interests. The world of football is united, governments are united, society is united. We agree that the Super League is a meaningless project. FA, La Liga, Serie A, FIFA, FEF, Premier … all are against these cynical plans. We will not allow this change. Players who participate in this closed league will not be able to play for their national teams. “

The UEFA president defended the Champions: “Our Champions will have a growth in income and, most importantly, it is committed to solidarity with each other. UEFA distributes almost 90% of its income to the game: quarries, children's foundations, women's football … The Super League thinks only about money, we don't. UEFA believes in the growth of football. We want to preserve the domestic championships, it is the way to qualify.It should be like this and it will never change. We are adapting the European competitions, but the main thing does not change: solidarity. For some there is no solidarity, only their pockets “.

Čeferin harshly criticized the project: “I have seen very serious things in my life because I am a lawyer, but like this one I have never seen anything like it. Each one has made it clear how it is: Gazidis, Agnelli, Pedro López (Real Madrid) … The idea of ​​the Super League started before COVID.It has been suspected for a long time at the wish of Florentino Pérez and Andrea Agnelli. This is extremely narcissistic, it has nothing to do with pandemics or anything else. We talked to them and they always asked us for more time “.

And the UEFA president added in the comparison between the Champions League and the Super League: “Our competition is open. The Super League is a closed competition. I am not talking about releases from ghost organizations, but it is a shameful and selfish proposition.It is a spit in the face of all football lovers. “

Ceferin has also attacked Ed Woodward and Andrea Agnelli: “What if I know what three other clubs can join the Super League? No idea. I also didn't know two days ago that 12 clubs wanted to leave … Ed Woodward called me on Thursday and told me that he also supported the reforms of the Champions, who agreed, although he was worried about the Financial Fair Play. Agnelli also called me on Saturday morning to tell me that he supported the Champions reforms. He said he would talk to me again in an hour and then turned off his telephone”.