For the second day of football, Europe is in fever: the Superleague, whose creation has long been talked about, is still created.
Europe’s wealthiest clubs have long threatened UEFA with creating an independent competition with a large prize pool and guaranteed attendance. The Super League is made up of 12 teams: English Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, Liverpool, Arsenal, Italian Juventus, Inter, Milan, Spanish Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético. Sometimes without even announcing it to the players and coaches.
UEFA were quick to point out that the Super League undermined the system of European football and was only intended to benefit a limited number of clubs and not to develop the game. And also – that the players who will play in the new tournament will not be allowed to play for national teams. UEFA is right to say that the Super League is killing European football. But it was UEFA that started killing European football.
After all, this organization did not prevent rich clubs from getting even richer. It was UEFA that transformed European competitions – in particular the Champions League – into a kind of closed club in which we find the same faces. In which five teams can represent one country, and representatives of other states, to meet the big one, have to go through an incomprehensible number of qualifying rounds. Isn’t this a blow to the sporting principle that UEFA now blames the Super League for?
Let’s go back in time 35 years ago, when European cups were contested according to the Olympic system, for relegation. The first stage, 1/16 final: Juventus will play against Luxembourg “Jenesse”, “Bayern” meets the Polish “Gornik” in Zabrze, the Scotsman “Aberdeen” flies to Iceland for an appointment you with “Akranes”. Fans of small footballing countries and towns see with their own eyes the leaders of European football, their champion against our champion – it is the triumph of a sporting principle long flouted by UEFA. After all, the Champions League reform project, which involves a wild card, special invitations for giants who did not secure a place in the tournament following the results of the domestic championship, is no better than the Super League.
Someone will say: it’s better to watch Juventus play against Barcelona than to watch the battle between the champions of Moldova and Iceland. But he will only be partly right. No matter how hard club leaders and UEFA try lately, European football hasn’t become something glamorous. Yes, there are glory hunters who are given a star show, but there are even more of those whose families have supported Milan, Arsenal, Red Star, Spartak since their great-grandfather days. And they remember the players who didn’t have big contracts, but fought for the club colors and became legends. There are also many fans who have not forgotten the principle of supporting your local team and supporting a team from their region playing in a tenth league. Because football for them is life, not comfy chairs and million-dollar contracts.
This is why Liverpool fans are demanding the club leave the Super League. Consequently, Chelsea fans block the team bus in outrage. Therefore, ‘Atletico’ are already considering withdrawing from the new tournament.
The Super League will probably not live long – after all, all national federations and leagues are against it, and players will hardly want to lose the chance to play for their country. But the disappearance of the Super League will not cure European football, which needs to return to its origins, not to please the giants more. Who, it turns out, don’t remember this dubious goodness.