While UEFA could potentially exclude Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona from the Champions League, FIFA President Gianni Infantino urges ‘dialogue’ although the clubs ‘have to face consequences.’
The Super League project was announced and collapsed within 48 hours, but the repercussions are still being felt.
While UEFA could potentially exclude Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona from the Champions League, FIFA President Gianni Infantino urges ‘dialogue’ although the clubs ‘have to face consequences.’
The Super League project was announced and collapsed within 48 hours, but the repercussions are still being felt.
UEFA announced on Friday they had reached an agreement with nine of the 12 breakaway clubs – Arsenal, Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, Milan, Inter, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur – to dock them €15m from their UEFA revenue.
The only clubs holding out risk far stronger action, up to and including exclusion from the Champions League.
“I have been very clear in what is mine and FIFA’s position on this matter,” Infantino told Spanish newspaper Diario AS.
“We stand by UEFA in rejecting the Super League. We are against it and we will always be against any competition which is not part of the international structures of football and that threatens the unity and solidarity that should always exist in the football pyramid, which links grassroots and amateur level to the top stars.
“Having said that, it is also my duty to advocate that all the parties should enter into a profound and hopefully constructive dialogue in search of positive solutions. Our duty as the world governing body is to have our doors open to everyone.
“Let me be very clear on that. FIFA and me personally support UEFA and its president against the Super League. I think we need to think carefully on the next steps because this is a complex matter and goes well beyond a single competition – it is about the entire global football ecosystem.
“As for the sanctions, there are independent and competent bodies that should analyse what can and should be done in this respect and it is therefore not for me to comment on this. Obviously I don’t exclude therefore that sanctions are implemented at national, continental or a world level.
“I said it once and I say again very clearly. Either the clubs want to be part of the football structures, or they will have to face the consequences. This is obvious and I am sure they know that.”
Infantino was asked whether the idea of excluding Juve, Real Madrid and Barcelona would be counter-productive for UEFA, as the Champions League would lose value as a result.
“Everyone in football knows how important are those big clubs that make so many millions of fans in their home countries and around the world vibrate but we also need to take care of the not so big clubs, leagues and federations which are not at the top of the pyramid, but ensure that football is played and promoted all around the world.
“UEFA will decide what is the most suitable action to take on its competitions. Of course, we need to be strict and ready to take firm actions not losing sight of the possibility to try and find common solutions for common problems.”