Juventus president Andrea Agnelli set to unveil new plans for European Super League
Juventus president Andrea Agnelli is set to unveil a new project for the European Super League on Thursday evening.
Juventus, Barcelona and Real Madrid have remained intent on pushing forward with the concept despite the dissolution of the initial idea in April 2021 following strong fan and media backlash. That project collapsed within 48 hours after 12 clubs had agreed to join the breakaway league.
The six Premier League clubs were among the first to depart and those involved the first time around; Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham reportedly have no intention of returning to the Super League.
Despite their initial setback, Juve, Real and Barça have continued to work in a bid to provide an alternative for their unfeasible opening proposal. Reports suggest that Juve president Agneill is ready to reveal the new plans at the Financial Times’ Business of Football Summit on Thursday evening.
What is the new European Super League proposal?
The updated iteration of the project is said to function similarly to the UEFA Nations League by including promotions and relegations. Up to 24 clubs could gain direct access into the competition based on results in the previous European campaign, with another eight clubs qualifying as a result of their domestic performances.
Agnelli will provide further details when he presents the revived project at the summit.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, who labelled close friend Agnelli a “snake” last year, once again criticised the ringleaders for resurrecting the project “in the middle of a war”.
Speaking at the summit via video link, Ceferin said (via The Telegraph): “I’m sick and tired of speaking of this non-football project.
“Look, first they launched their nonsense of an idea in the middle of a pandemic; now we’re reading articles every day that they are planning to launch another idea now in the middle of a war.
“Do I have to speak more about those people? They obviously live in a parallel world,” he condemned.
Last year, in the wake of the failed ESL coup, UEFA revealed the new Champions League format that’ll come into force in the 2024/25 season. The plans include 36 teams as opposed to 32, the ditching of group stages in favour of one league table and 100 additional games.
Welp.