UEFA and FIFA have been given key legal support by the Court of Justice of the European Union over their right to sanction the remaining clubs intent on breaking away to create a proposed European Super League.
Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus are the only three of the original 12 who remain in support of the new elite club competition after all six of the Premier League teams – Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal – as well AC Milan, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid, all withdrew.
The backlash from the football community, which unified the vast majority of fans around the world including other clubs, forced the proposal to collapse in April 2021 some two days after it was announced.
A22 Sports Management, who were formed to aid the 12 teams in pushing through the creation of the new league, recently accused UEFA and FIFA of abusing their positions to reject the proposal and impose sanctions under European Competition Law.
However, advocate general Athanasios Rantos at the EU Court of Justice gave his opinion on the ongoing feud, claiming that any new proposed league must first seek the authorisation of both FIFA and UEFA, who would be well with their rights to punish teams for conspiring to create a parallel league.
A WELCOMED Blow for Super League as Advocate General at European Court of Justice backs Uefa and Fifa
Real Madrid, Barcelona & Juventus would be eligible for sanctions from UEFA if it wen ahead, should the European Court follow the recommendation of their General Advocate. pic.twitter.com/lTkBhCW6oX
— António Mango (@AntonioMango4) December 15, 2022
Rantos wrote: “The Fifa-Uefa rules under which any new competition is subject to prior approval are compatible with EU competition law.
“Whilst ESLC is free to set up its own independent football competition outside the Uefa and Fifa ecosystem, it cannot however, in parallel with the creation of such a competition, continue to participate in the football competitions organised by Fifa and Uefa without the prior authorisation of those federations.”
Although this opinion likely reflects the eventual ruling which is expected from the EU Court of Justice in 2023, Rantos’ judgment is ultimately non-binding.
UEFA’s threat of financial and sporting sanctions, coupled with an overwhelming wave of backlash from the football community, ultimately saw three-quarters of the original band of teams pull out.
An official Court of Justice ruling in Spring of next year would ratify UEFA’s ability to impose sanctions and could effectively kill Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus’ bid to see the European Super League materialise.
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