SportsAbout Turn! – All 6 English Clubs Dump New Euro Super League

About Turn! – All 6 English Clubs Dump New Euro Super League

BEVERLY HILLS, April 20, (THEWILL) – The new European Super League was no fun for the two days it lasted and before it had a chance to change that notion, it is almost over. That is because as of Tuesday night, the English Premier League clubs of Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham have joined the pair of Manchester City and Chelsea to confirm their withdrawal from the League.

These clubs, England’s so-called “Big Six,” had previously announced, only two days ago, their involvement in the formation of a European Super League in concert with La Liga bigwigs Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Serie A topshots Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan.

It did not take long for the negative reactions and blunt criticisms to overwhelm the clubs involved, with most fan bases outrightly enraged by the development such that in less than 48 hours after the announcement, the competition is in ruins with all English sides withdrawing.

The first to officially pull the withdrawal trigger was Manchester City. The club put out a statement that indicated that they had set in motion the process of withdrawing. Although Chelsea immediately followed, an official announcement is yet to be made about their withdrawing decision.

After that, the rest of the bunch, Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs and United released simultaneous club statements that indicated their decision to back out of their association with the new League.

The management of the Old Trafford club and of the Anfield side shared brief statements that highlighted the input of “key stakeholders” but stopped short at apologising. Liverpool’s spokesperson said: “Liverpool Football Club can confirm that our involvement in proposed plans to form a European Super League has been discontinued.

“In recent days, the club has received representations from various key stakeholders, both internally and externally, and we would like to thank them for their valuable contributions.”

While the Red Devils’ said: “Manchester United will not be participating in the European Super League. We have listened carefully to the reaction from our fans, the UK government and other key stakeholders.

“We remain committed to working with others across the football community to come up with sustainable solutions to the long-term challenges facing the game.”

The more considered statement came from the north London clubs, Arsenal and Tottenham. The Gunners’ board penned an open letter to supporters that read:

“The last few days have shown us yet again the depth of feeling our supporters around the world have for this great club and the game we love. We needed no reminding of this but the response from supporters in recent days has given us time for further reflection and deep thought.

“It was never our intention to cause such distress, however when the invitation to join the Super League came, while knowing there were no guarantees, we did not want to be left behind to ensure we protected Arsenal and its future.

“As a result of listening to you and the wider football community over recent days we are withdrawing from the proposed Super League. We made a mistake, and we apologise for it.

“We know it will take time to restore your faith in what we are trying to achieve here at Arsenal but let us be clear that the decision to be part of the Super League was driven by our desire to protect Arsenal, the club you love, and to support the game you love through greater solidarity and financial stability.

“Stability is essential for the game to prosper and we will continue to strive to bring the security the game needs to move forward.

“The system needs to be fixed. We must work together to find solutions which protect the future of the game and harness the extraordinary power football has to get us on the edge of our seats.”

It finished with an admission: “Finally, we know this has been hugely unsettling at the end of what has been an incredibly difficult year for us all. Our aim is always to make the right decisions for this great football club, to protect it for the future and to take us forward. We didn’t make the right decision here, which we fully accept. We have heard you.”

For Spurs, club Chairman Daniel Levy readily acknowledged the stress caused for supporters and the wider football community, which he addressed when he said: “We regret the anxiety and upset caused by the ESL proposal. We felt it was important that our club participated in the development of a possible new structure that sought to better ensure financial fair play and financial sustainability whilst delivering significantly increased support for the wider football pyramid.

“We believe that we should never stand still and that the sport should constantly review competitions and governance to ensure the game we all love continues to evolve and excite fans around the world. We should like to thank all those supporters who presented their considered opinions.”

When Chelsea releases its own statement of withdrawal, only the three from Spain and three from Italy will remain of the initial set of 12. It is difficult to imagine how they can proceed with anything closely resembling the format of a Super League, even if there are some reports that suggest the six teams left can begin a new movement of their own.

THEWILL recalls that Madrid President Florentino Perez, who was appointed Chairman of the new League, had previously boasted on Monday that there was no risk of clubs withdrawing due to contracts being signed. The EPL clubs have shown that they are ready to take the risks.

About the Author

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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.

Jude Obafemi, THEWILLhttps://thewillnews.com
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.

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