Real Madrid President Perez - Super League Created to 'save football'

Sports | April 20, 2021, Tuesday // 22:47
Bulgaria: Real Madrid President  Perez - Super League  Created to 'save football' facebook

The European Super League was created "to save football", says Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.

Real are one of the 12 European clubs who have signed up to the breakaway league and intend to establish a new midweek competition.

 Perez said the move had been made because young people are "no longer interested in football" because of "a lot of poor quality games".

"Whenever there is change, there are always people who oppose it," he said.

The English 'big six' of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham have agreed to join the new league.

The move has been criticised by football authorities and government ministers in the UK and widely condemned across Europe by Uefa and leagues associations.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will hold a meeting with football's governing bodies on Tuesday to discuss the move, while the 14 Premier League clubs not included in the plans are also scheduled to meet.

Perez said that the top teams were losing money and that big-name matches would help increase their revenue.

"If we continue with the Champions League there is less and less interest and then it's over.

"The new format which starts in 2024 is absurd. In 2024, we are all dead."

Perez said the move had been accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic, which has led to matches being played behind closed doors.

He claimed 40% of young people are not interested in football and Real have lost 400m euros (£344m) because of the impact of the pandemic.

Perez said the group want to start the new league by August, should they reach an agreement with Uefa, otherwise it could be delayed by a year.

Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin called the league a "disgraceful, self-serving" plan and a "spit in the face of football lovers".

Ceferin also said that players involved with the ESL could be banned from all Uefa competitions, which Perez denied.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!

Sports » Be a reporter: Write and send your article

Advertisement
Advertisement
Bulgaria news Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) is unique with being a real time news provider in English that informs its readers about the latest Bulgarian news. The editorial staff also publishes a daily online newspaper "Sofia Morning News." Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) and Sofia Morning News publish the latest economic, political and cultural news that take place in Bulgaria. Foreign media analysis on Bulgaria and World News in Brief are also part of the web site and the online newspaper. News Bulgaria