UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin confirms he hasn’t spoken to Andrea Agnelli since the Super League was announced last year and criticises Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp: ‘Factory workers should complain, not them…’
Ceferin released a long interview with Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper, discussing his rapport with Super League clubs and the future of the Champions League, which will change its format from 2024.
“Today, you can already predict who will play in the Round of 16 after the draw. In the future, big clubs will meet more frequently, smaller clubs will have more chances to qualify and the group will be fought until the end. It will be spectacular, 2024 is tomorrow,” he said.
More and more clubs and coaches around Europe are complaining about the increasing number of games played every season, but Ceferin defends UEFA’s choices.
“Everyone wants more cup games, but nobody gives up on anything. Clubs wanted 10 games in the Champions League group stage. They’ll have eight, it’s the right number,” he said.
“Domestic leagues should have 18 clubs, but the presidents do not agree. They should understand that two domestic cups are too many.”
Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola are among those criticising European football’s governing body for the number of games played each season, and Ceferin doesn’t seem pleased.
“It’s easy always to attack FIFA and UEFA, but the thing is simple. If you play less, you get less money. Who should complain are the factory workers who get €1,000 per month.”
UEFA introduced one more competition last season, the Conference League, which was won by José Mourinho’s Roma.
“Some genius said it was a useless cup. You saw when Roma and Feyenoord played the final…” said Ceferin.
“It was a worth a Europa League Final. The same genius protested because it was played in a small stadium. Bu the real genius is José Mourinho. He was moved when I spoke to him [after the Final].”
Has he spoken to Super League clubs since they attempted to create a breakaway competition last season?
“Nothing with Agnelli, I met Perez and respected the protocol. UEFA is not my property, so we sat close to each other during the Champions League Final in Paris and I congratulated him, that’s all,” Ceferin claimed.
“UEFA is not a monopoly. Clubs can decide to be included or not, whether to play in our competitions or organise their own. But in that case, they can’t play in our tournaments, that’s logic, right?
“The [Super League] project is dead because nobody wants to take part in it. I only see three people angry with everyone else and taking everyone else to court, but now it’s finished.”
The 54-year-old continued his interview by clarifying why he has a strong bond with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi: “I am not on good terms with the PSG President but with ECA President. He is one who understood and defended the European model, differently from other European clubs.”
In the second part of the interview with Gazzetta, he discussed Italy’s chances to host Euro 2032 and some potential refereeing changes for the future.