European fans against the Super League: “Beware, it’s a threat”

The tone of the press release is perhaps a bit of a 70s collective, but the meaning is clear. To oppose at all costs the Super League and the elite football that the Super League has in mind: “Last year, twelve shamefully rich clubs tried to destroy European football by creating a league reserved for a few ‘lucky’. But they did not succeed thanks to the intervention of fans from all over the continent, including those of their teams, who expressed solidarity by protesting against their plans. ”. The press release is signed by the Football Supporters Europe association, which brings together European fans, and refers to the round table organized today in Brussels by the A22 agency which offers services for start-ups and management of sports organizations, including the Super League. Among the participants, the lawyer Jean-Louis Dupont (Bosman’s lawyer in the 90s) and Vincenzo Ampolo, Juventus Chairman’s Office manager. The theme: the football of the future in the European Union “.

“Win it on the pitch”

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The Football Supporters Europe want to decisively counter the attempt by Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juve to create an alternative tournament to the Champions League. In February, they joined the “Win ​​It On The Pitch” project, registered with the European Commission, with the aim of collecting one million signatures within one year against the three European clubs’ project. While waiting for the subscriptions to begin, WIOTP has taken action, denouncing initiatives “of a liberal style”, as executive director Ronan Evain says, “which must be a warning for European football. The three clubs are continuing to work for the Super League by threatening the European sports model. They lobby. But we are tired of a football under blackmail by a Super League for over fifteen years “.

“Superlega: the problem”

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The statement continues: “It is only a matter of time before they come out again with the same old refrain that the very wealthy owners are not understood and that the only solution to the huge problems of football is to give them even more money. and power. This would have a catastrophic effect that would cause the enrichment of very few clubs to the detriment of all the others and the crumbling of important principles such as sporting merit, promotion and relegation, European qualification obtained through national success and financial solidarity. In short, the ‘superalloy’ is not the solution, but the problem ”.

Signatures of the fans

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The association therefore asks “that as many people as possible sign the European citizens’ initiative ‘Win It On The Pitch’, which invites the European Commission to protect the European model of sport, to recognize the social value of sport in society and to involve fans in discussions to shape the long-term future of European sport ”. The situation is very fluid. A few days ago, UEFA scored a goal when the new judge of the Madrid commercial court suspended the precautionary measures and authorized Nyon to apply sanctions to the three rebel clubs. But the trial in Madrid continues in June and, above all, it will be the ruling of the EU Court that will affirm the principle of law, that is, whether UEFA exercises a dominant position contrary to European competition rules or not. That a Super League can then be born with the political and legal obstacles of Great Britain and Germany is another story.