Real Madrid President Florentino Perez again criticized UEFA for opposing the Super League, vowed to push ahead with the project and said he expected the courts to support his vision for European football.
– Super League 12: What is their motivation?
– Daily ESPN FC live stream on ESPN+ (US only)
– No ESPN? Instant access
UEFA disciplinary action against Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus over the scheme is on hold while the European Court of Justice (ECJ) studies whether the football regulator’s actions violate EU competition law.
“Perhaps UEFA has to remind who Real Madrid is,” Perez said during his speech at the club’s annual general meeting, to applause and chants of “Kings of Europe” from members.
“UEFA must be reminded of the history of Real Madrid. Real Madrid has engaged in every necessary renewal in the years since its founding… The current football situation leaves us with no choice. other than to continue to defend their legitimate interests.”
The Super League project appeared to have collapsed in April when nine of the original 12 founding clubs – six of them from the Premier League – announced their withdrawal, just days after the project launched.
However, Madrid, Barca and Juventus remained committed to continuing with the plans, and secured an injunction against UEFA in a Spanish court, which referred the case to the ECJ.
“How toxic of UEFA’s response to the mere announcement [of the Super League] confirmed the need for the project to restore our freedom,” Perez said on Saturday. UEFA has denied any dialogue. They threatened the clubs with penalties inconsistent with the law… They wanted to end the Super League, but (Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus) moved on. “
He added: “The courts have defended the Super League, forcing UEFA to rescind their disciplinary processes and leave without effect the shameful fines imposed on nine other clubs. .. Spanish justice has taken the case to the European courts, which will issue a binding order ruling on UEFA’s monopoly. This process must worry UEFA seriously, because they did the possible and the impossible to try to stop it.”
Perez also criticized UEFA’s plan to review financial fair play regulations, after president Aleksander Ceferin admitted earlier this year that the rules “might have to adapt” in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’ve all heard the UEFA president talk about his desire to make the FFP rules more flexible,” said Perez. “That will seriously affect the future of the game. European clubs need independent, transparent rules, free from conflicts of interest, against the growing threat of influencers. people outside the EU who use European football for something else. Basically all football clubs exist on what they make.”
