Aleksander Ceferin says Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona are threatening UEFA and ‘are the only ones who think the earth is flat.’
The Bianconeri and the two La Liga giants haven’t withdrawn from the European Super League, the breakaway competition that was launched in April by 12 elite European clubs.
However, it didn’t last long as Premier League clubs withdrew within 48 hours and were followed by Inter, Milan and Atletico Madrid.
“Even the most clueless people in the world understand that the Super League is over,” Ceferin told The Telegraph.
“I think that the three clubs [Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus] who still think we have a Super League have helped us in a way because now it’s much easier to speak about solidarity and everything else because we can say to them ‘just go to your Super League if you don’t like it’.
“People were saying ‘American owners’ [of three Premier League clubs are to blame] but don’t forget that the only three who think the earth is flat are an Italian and two Spanish,” Ceferin continued.
“They went with a press release ‘Super League still exists, we still have a Super League’. Two days later, they sent an application to play in the Champions League.
“So they are in the Super League and out of the Champions League but they want to be in the Champions League? They said the Champions League is over but they still want to play in it?”
“Now they are threatening, sending letters that they will sue us – criminal court, this court – they obviously have too much money. They should invest into women’s football and youth football.”
Last week, UEFA announced ‘disciplinary proceedings have been opened against the three clubs and according to several reports, they could be banned from the 2021-22 Champions League.
“Look for me the ideal situation is that everybody that qualifies plays,” Ceferin said
“But, of course, it is strange to communicate with them when they disappeared overnight and didn’t come back until now. All we get are some letters. I didn’t read them but our legal division say there are letters threatening in every way.
“When I speak to 244 clubs of the ECA [European Clubs Association] they [the rebels] are not the most popular in the world. They sue everyone; they threaten everyone. Their view is ‘we play our elite competition and we give some charity to everyone’. Nobody wants charity.”