The reigning European champions, Bayern Munich, and the team that beat them in last year’s Champions League final, Paris Saint-Germain, have released statements opposing the creation of a European Super League.
Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Internazionale and AC Milan are the 12 founding members of a proposed breakaway tournament, which was announced on Sunday.
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However, after Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig, two of the contenders for the 20-team tournament, which will have 15 permanent members and five qualifications, expressed their opposition to its creation, Bayern announced that they would not join.
“FC Bayern Munich have a clear position on the issue of the Super League,” reads a statement from Bayern.
Herbert Hainer, President of Bayern, added: “Our members and supporters reject a Super League. As FC Bayern, it is our wish and our goal that European clubs live out the wonderful and emotional competition that is the Champions League and that with UEFA. “Bayern say no to the Super League.”
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, CEO, also said: ‘On behalf of the board, I would like to make it clear that FC Bayern will not participate in the Super League.
“FC Bayern are in solidarity with the Bundesliga. It has been and always has been a great pleasure for us to be able to play Germany and represent them in the Champions League.
“We all remember with love our 2020 victory in the Champions League in Lisbon – you will not forget such a joyful moment. For FC Bayern, the Champions League is the best club competition in the world.”
PSG also expressed their views on the creation of the competition.
“Paris Saint-Germain believe football is a game for everyone,” said club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi. “I was consistent on this from the start.
“As a football club, we are a family and a community of which our supporters exist. I believe we must not forget this. There is a clear need to promote the existing UEFA competition model, which was presented by UEFA yesterday. [Monday] and the conclusion of 24 months of extensive and collaborative consultation across the entire European football landscape.
“We believe that any proposal without the support of UEFA – an organization that has been working for almost 70 years to promote the interests of European football – does not address the issues currently facing the football community, but is driven by self- interest.
“Paris Saint-Germain will continue to work with UEFA, the European Club Association and all stakeholders of the football family – based on the principles of good faith, dignity and respect for all.”
Many of the European Super League clubs have suggested in a statement that they will continue to participate in their local leagues, but all relevant local federations have threatened them with expulsion if the tournament continues.
The presidents of UEFA (Alexander Ceferin) and FIFA (Gianni Infantino) have also strongly criticized the Super League project.