A woman takes a snapshot in front Atletico Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, April 20, 2021. A group of 12 elite English, Spanish and Italian clubs dramatically split European soccer on Sunday by announcing the formation of a largely-closed Super League. The Super League’s founding chairman Florentino Perez on Tuesday, April 20, 2021 says the competition is being created to save soccer for everyone and not to make the rich clubs richer. The Real Madrid president says it’s “impossible” that players from the participating teams will be banned by UEFA.
A soccer supporter takes snapshots of Atletico Madrid hall of fame plates at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, April 20, 2021. A group of 12 elite English, Spanish and Italian clubs dramatically split European soccer on Sunday by announcing the formation of a largely-closed Super League. The Super League’s founding chairman Florentino Perez on Tuesday, April 20, 2021 says the competition is being created to save soccer for everyone and not to make the rich clubs richer. The Real Madrid president says it’s “impossible” that players from the participating teams will be banned by UEFA.
FILE – In this June 13, 2019 file photo, Real Madrid’s President Florentino Perez gives a speech at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain. The Super League’s founding chairman Florentino Perez on Tuesday, April 20, 2021 says the competition is being created to save soccer for everyone and not to make the rich clubs richer. The Real Madrid president says it’s “impossible” that players from the participating teams will be banned by UEFA.
A man and a young boy walk past a Real Madrid poster of the team celebrating in a merchandising shop in Madrid, Spain, Monday, April 19, 2021. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin says players at the 12 clubs setting up their own Super League could be banned from this year’s European Championship and next year’s World Cup. Ceferin spoke after a UEFA executive committee meeting held only hours of the English, Italian and Spanish clubs announced the project that threatens to split European soccer.
MADRID (AP) — While trying to at least keep the idea of the Super League alive, more of the founding members of the controversial breakaway competition abandoned the project on Wednesday.
The moves by Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Atlético Madrid came a day after the six Premier League clubs involved in the new competition made it unviable by dropping out, leaving Spanish powerhouses Real Madrid and Barcelona as the only teams still officially in it.
While some English clubs apologized to their fans while pulling back on Tuesday, the teams that dropped out on Wednesday admitted defeat but tried to show they still believe in the project.
“While Juventus remains convinced of the soundness of the project’s sport, commercial and legal premises, it believes that at present there are limited chances that the project be completed in the form originally conceived,” the Italian club said. “Juventus remains committed to pursuing the creation of long-term value for the Company and the entire football industry.”
English clubs Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham previously deserted plans for the largely-closed competition amid escalating backlash from their supporters and warnings from the government that legislation could be introduced to thwart them.
Still, AC Milan said the “voices and the concerns of fans around the world have clearly been expressed” but the club “will continue to work hard to deliver a sustainable model” for soccer.
