Roma‘s strong relationship with Paris Saint-Germain was behind the Giallorossi’s decision to pull out of a summer friendly with Barcelona, according to reports in Italy.
On Tuesday, Roma announced they would no longer compete against Barca in the Catalan giants’ annual Trofeo Gamper – much to the anger of the LaLiga side, with reports they were even considering legal action.
But a day later, Il Corriere dello Sport report Roma president Dan Friedkin’s strong relationship with PSG counterpart Nasser Al-Khelaifi was behind the decision.
Following the collapse of the proposed Super League, with only three clubs – Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus – still remaining, Al-Khelaifi’s relationship with UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin grew stronger, thanks in part to PSG’s decision to reject the idea, while Friedkin has also become an ally, the report adds.
According to the report, Al-Khelaifi and Friedkin have several communal business interests outside of football, such as luxury hotels and the Giallorossi were advised not to face a team which is still part of the Super League in a pre-season friendly.
In September, Al-Khelaifi, who took over the European Club Association’s presidency following the collapse of the Super League in which its members left, publicly thanked Friedkin for joining.
Roma-Parigi: l’asse dietro il no al Barça #AsRoma https://t.co/MKzVUEveJm pic.twitter.com/ro5NRB2kyv
— laroma24.it (@LAROMA24) June 29, 2022
Lame report
Why is this still even a topic of discussion – what Super League when it “functioned” for a day? It has no structure, no activity, no promotion, nothing. Therefore it is non-existent. Its not like Barca, Juve and Real have met in a made-up competition by themselves during the last year.
Roma only backups the non-SL because they were not considered for it lol
still, SL will be a thing in a year or two. It is as agent Smith says inevitability
PSG, whose president is head of the ECA, owners also own BeIN (Ligue 1 TV rights) and Qatar Airways (shirt sponsors) and other things. An ecosystem designed to pump money into the club. This is why they can defy FFP.
Who considers roma to be a top club to be part of the super league – no one
Did Roma ask for membership to a “Super League”? No, Barca and its fans here are just behaving like a jilted girl/boy friend. Roma have other fish to fry.