Allianz stadium chief defended the proposal despite widespread opposition from key figures in the game and supporters around the world
Juventus president Andrea Agnelli set out his vision for the Super League amid the withdrawal of all six English clubs involved in the run-up plans.
The proposed formation of a new continental competition containing the world’s richest clubs has met with a great reaction in recent days.
Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham have already announced their collective intention to retire, but six clubs from Italy and Spain remain on board, including Juve, whose president has defended the controversial initiative.
What was said?
Speaking before the English ‘big six’ withdrew, Agnelli told Corriere dello Sport i The Republic: “We want to stay close to our fans. Our will is to create a competition that can benefit the whole football pyramid, significantly increasing what is distributed to other clubs.
“I emphasize the competition that remains open and provides five seats available to other clubs. The nutrition of the youth sectors is maintained. The biggest problem of the football industry is stability.
“40 percent of 15-24-year-olds are not interested in football. We need competition capable of opposing what they reproduce on digital platforms, turning the virtual into the real.
“Football is no longer a game but an industrial sector and stability is needed. Even at home. In Europe, the game worth the most is not the Champions League final, but the playoffs of the English Premier League to join the Premier League: 150 million. That is not stability.
“We need strict economic and financial rules like the ones established in the Super League.”
Premier League clubs are taking a turn
The traditional ‘big six’ of the Premier League originally signed up for the Super League along with Juve, Milan, Inter, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid with the aim of potentially participating in the upcoming season of the competition.
However, key figures in the game and fans across England quickly heard their voices, with mass protests organized among Chelsea fans in front of Stamford Bridge before their 0-0 draw with Brighton on Tuesday.
The Blues handed over official papers confirming their withdrawal from the Super League, and the other five clubs from the Premier League followed them and left the whole operation in serious doubt.
How did the Super League react?
Superleague officials have so far refused to step down after losing six of their 12 original founding clubs and have vowed to “reshape” their proposal with the goal of creating competition that can provide top clubs with greater financial security.
“The European Super League is convinced that the current status quo of European football must change,” the organization said in a statement.
“We are proposing a new European competition because the existing system is not working. The aim of our proposal is to enable the development of sport while creating the resources and stability of a full football pyramid, including helping to overcome the financial difficulties facing the entire football community as a result of the pandemic. payments to all football stakeholders.
“Despite the announced departure of English clubs, forced to make such decisions due to the pressure exerted on them, we are convinced that our proposal is fully in line with European law and regulations, as evidenced by the court decision to protect the Super League from third parties.
“Given the current circumstances, we will consider the most appropriate steps to reshape the project, always keeping in mind our goals to offer fans the best possible experience, while increasing solidarity payouts for the entire football community.”