OFFICIAL: Premier League Clubs, Others Return To The European Clubs Association
Written by Olugbenga Olonade
Reports that the European Clubs Association (ECA) could be set to re-admit nine of the twelves Super League breakaway clubs have now become official following the release of a statement on the association’s website.
According to the statement, the clubs had asked the ECA board to reconsider their decision to withdraw from the association, the request has now been granted and the clubs will retain their ordinary memberships for the current membership cycle (2019-2023).
“Following the receipt by ECA of specific requests asking the ECA Board to consider the withdrawal of their previous resignation requests of April 2021, the ECA Executive Board has agreed that the following clubs will retain their ECA ordinary membership for the current 2019-23 ECA membership cycle: AC Milan, Arsenal FC, Chelsea FC, Club Atlético de Madrid, FC Internazionale Milano, Liverpool FC, Manchester City FC, Manchester United FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC (“Clubs”).
“In its decision, and after an exhaustive process of re-engagement by the Clubs and re-assessment by ECA over recent months, the ECA Executive Board took into consideration the Clubs’ acknowledgement that the so-called European Super League project (“ESL Project”) was not in the interests of the wider football community and their publicly communicated decisions to abandon said ESL Project completely. The ECA Board also acknowledged the Clubs’ stated willingness to engage actively with ECA in its collective mission to develop European club football – in the open and transparent interests of all, not the few.
“This decision of the ECA Board marks the end of a regrettable and turbulent episode for European football and aligns with ECA’s relentless focus to strengthen unity in European football. Through this period of unprecedented challenge, ECA has firmly established itself as the only organisation through which the leading clubs in Europe can promote and protect their interests in football, whilst also developing the competition landscape and reinforcing the centrality of clubs in the governance of European football.
“ECA can now proceed with renewed unity and solidarity to continue the important work needed to stabilise and develop European club football – at a time when this is needed the most.”
Earlier: Nine Super League Clubs Set To Commit To The European Clubs Association
More drama could be set to unfold as New York Times reporter, Tariq Panja, writes that nine of the twelve Super League clubs are set to sign legally binding contracts that will allow them to be reinstated in the European Clubs Association (ECA).
The clubs involved are reportedly those that have officially pulled out of the breakaway league after the tournament was shut down before it could commence.
The other three clubs, – Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus – remain committed in their battle against UEFA as they continue to work in order to see that the Super League project goes ahead.
More Details
Panja states that the idea behind the binding commitments is to ensure that it becomes difficult for the nine clubs involved to join another breakaway league.
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The ECA, which was chaired by Juventus president, Andrea Agnelli, before the announcement of the Super League had witnessed an exodus of the twelve clubs involved in the project, and ultimately, the resignation of Agnelli who couldn’t continue in his role as Chairman for obvious reasons.
PSG president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, has since been appointed to head the association and looks to bring order and some form of unity even as UEFA continues to battle in court against the implementation of the Super League.
On the part of the nine clubs involved, the report states that they will expect those in charge of the rules of football to live up to their expectations when it comes to enforcing the regulations.
It remains to be seen how this development will affect the Super League plans following past declarations by Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez, that the nine clubs have not officially left the Super League either as they signed cont that legally bind them to to project for a long time.
Read Also – La Liga: Why The New Season Presents The Best Chance For Atleti To Open A Winning Cycle
Meanwhile…
One of the key members of the Super League project, Barcelona, could be in more financial trouble than initially thought.
Speaking in a press conference today, Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, has revealed that the club currently has a “negative net worth of €451 million.”
“We have found ourselves in a difficult situation to renegotiate the players’ contract.” Laporta revealed. “Our salaries represent 103% of the club’s total income. That’s 20-25% more than our competitors.”
He however maintained that “we are not going to change the model of this club – the members will always be in charge.”
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