The joined actions of some of the most powerful figures in modern football unwittingly created an ever mightier alliance on April 18, 2021.
The announcement of a new European Super League united Manchester, with fans and players of United and City joining those invested in the fortunes of Liverpool and the three London giants of Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham in opposition.
Although the reaction in Italy and Spain may not have been quite as damning, the protests that followed over the course of an extraordinary few days were enough to derail the plans.
A year on, Stats Perform looks back on one of the most controversial proposals in the sport's history and where it stands now.
What is/was the European Super League?
The past week has shown exactly what makes the Champions League great, whether Villarreal's upset of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid withstanding Chelsea's fightback, a thriller between Liverpool and Benfica in a tie widely considered over or the blood and thunder of Manchester City's defeat of Atletico Madrid.
But Arsenal and Tottenham did not qualify for the Champions League this season, while Barcelona and Milan failed to make it beyond the group stage.
In another season, another superpower – the clubs whose names and riches have made the Champions League what it is – might miss out on these great games.
That was the fear of a dozen leading sides, anyway. Barca had a prominent role, along with Real Madrid and Juventus, as the European Super League was launched.
The competition was to be backed by United States-based investment bank JP Morgan and managed by the owners of the founding clubs, who would be guaranteed entry to the competition.
Three clubs were hoped to join the initial 12, followed by five others qualifying each year to form a 20-team tournament, which would be split into two 10-team leagues prior to a knockout stage.
The idea was for the Super League to replace the lucrative Champions League, rather than domestic leagues – hence its inception on the eve of Champions League reforms. The interested parties even claimed the money raised would benefit "the wider football pyramid".
But the reception was widely critical, while there were notable absentees in the form of Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, the previous campaign's Champions League finalists.
PSG had spent too much time – and, of course, money – establishing themselves among European football's elite to risk it all in the breakaway.
Meanwhile, Bayern, like most German clubs, are partly fan-owned. And it would soon become clear football fans in general were not enthused by the prospect of seeing Europe's best teams slog it out in a closed-shop tournament.
Then what?
The 12 clubs must have imagined some sort of response, but what followed appeared to stun those involved.
Their own players and coaches announced opposition, with many frustrated these plans had provided such a distraction at a key stage in the season. Notably, Jurgen Klopp fumed when Leeds United, Liverpool's next opponents, told the six-time European champions to "earn it" if they wanted to play in the Champions League.
The rest of football appeared united against those who had sought to cut loose, as former Manchester United captain Gary Neville called for the Old Trafford club to be relegated along with Liverpool and Arsenal.
Unsurprisingly, UEFA, FIFA and even the UK government railed against the Super League, too.
But most importantly, the fans – particularly in England – made clear they would not stand for this apparent betrayal of the sport and its roots.
Chelsea were the first team to back out of the European Super League while Petr Cech attempted to negotiate with furious supporters blocking the team's entrance to Stamford Bridge prior to a drab goalless draw against Brighton and Hove Albion.
With protests following at stadiums up and down the country, the Premier League clubs soon quit the breakaway competition, and they were joined by Inter, Milan and Atletico Madrid, as the Super League was declared dead mere hours after its birth.
Football had won, it was widely acknowledged.
And they all lived happily ever after?
Well, not quite. Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus have continued to pursue the European Super League, their owners refusing to relent.
The huge debts racked up during the coronavirus pandemic contributed to their desperation to land this lucrative deal, with Barca since forced to let club legend Lionel Messi leave on a free transfer due to their inability to afford a new contract for the 34-year-old.
Those who backed out of the controversial plans have at least returned to the European Club Association, in which PSG were huge beneficiaries of their reluctance to follow their elite rivals. Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the PSG president, now leads the ECA in a role that previously belonged to Juve chief Andrea Agnelli.
But even Barca, Madrid and Juve have been able to continue playing in UEFA competitions – those they have qualified for, anyway. Madrid have made the Champions League semi-finals as they bid for a record-extending 14th European crown.
And sceptics could be forgiven for wondering if the new Champions League format sounds a little 'European Super Leaguey'.
As of 2024-25, the group stages will be no more, replaced by – yes – a league. And although the competition is increasing in size to 36 teams, two of the additional four slots are reserved for clubs who have the highest UEFA coefficients but have qualified only for one of the organisation's lesser competitions.
Barca, who toiled in the early stages of this season, or Juve, facing a fight for a top-four finish in Serie A, would have to slump significantly not to be assured of a seat at the time.
The Super League is dead... but long live the Super League?
New USA coach Pochettino aims for World Cup glory as countdown to 2026 begins
New United States boss Mauricio Pochettino has outlined his ambition to win the World Cup with the co-hosts in two years' time and is excited by the opportunity.
Pochettino was named the manager of the USA on Tuesday in his first role since parting company with Chelsea in May.
The Argentine, who previously enjoyed a successful five-year spell in charge of Tottenham, leading them to a Champions League final, oversaw a sixth-placed Premier League finish in his only season at Stamford Bridge.
And with the USA acting as hosts alongside Canada and Mexico for football's most prestigious tournament in 2026, Pochettino believes his players should harbour ambitions of winning the entire event.
"We need to believe in big things that we can win, not only a game but the World Cup," Pochettino said.
"If we don’t, the journey will be difficult. We have to think big. That is the only way to put your talent in the service of the team. It is a massive challenge."
The USA women's team won the World Cup in 2015 and 2019 and claimed Olympic gold this summer in Emma Hayes' first tournament as manager.
Pochettino, who knows Hayes from the period in which they both managed Chelsea's senior teams, reserved special praise for her, while also wanting his players to be inspired by how successful the women's team had become in recent times.
"In Emma, we have the best coach in the world," said Pochettino.
"The women's team has won everything. We need to match them. They need to be our inspiration, not only with results but in the way they create the philosophy to defend the country, the badge and the culture.
"We want to create something special."
Pochettino's first game in charge will be a friendly versus Panama at the Q2 Stadium in Austin on October 12.
Sane set for Bayern return after surgery, says Kompany
Leroy Sane is available for Bayern Munich's game at Holstein Kiel after missing their opening two matches following a groin operation.
Sane featured in all five games for Germany at Euro 2024 before undergoing surgery in July, and also returns in time for the start of Bayern's Champions League campaign at home to Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday.
"We have a lot of players, and we need all of them. Aside from the long-term injuries, all the players are fit," Kompany told reporters.
"We've got a week with three matches coming up, and we're looking forward to it. Leroy will also be in the squad."
Sane also struggled with injuries towards the end of last season, making just one appearance in Bayern's final seven league games, having scored eight goals in their opening nine matches.
"He had a really good first half of last season and was involved in a lot of goals," Bayern's sporting director Christoph Freund said.
"In the early part of this year, he had constant battles with injuries and pain, but he battled on and played through it.
"The nice thing now is that he's pain-free. We're glad he's back and properly fit."
Bayern face promoted side Kiel, who are in the Bundesliga for the first time, on Saturday, and Kompany knows what it is like to take a side up from the second tier after his time in England with Burnley.
"I experienced it myself last year. We completely dominated in the second division with Burnley, and then we got promoted to a different league and struggled," Kompany said.
"But you do all the work for exactly these games and I imagine that Kiel are looking forward to it.
"They're flexible and good on the ball. They were dominant last season and even though they've been promoted, that's stayed in the team."
Alonso hopeful Leverkusen can bounce back despite short turnaround
Xabi Alonso is hopeful the short time he has had with his Bayer Leverkusen players will be sufficient to get them back to winning ways against Hoffenheim.
Leverkusen's 35-game unbeaten run in the Bundesliga ended in their last match, losing just their second game of the campaign at home to RB Leipzig after going the whole of the last league season without a defeat.
The international break has since reduced their preparation time for the trip to Hoffenheim, but Alonso remains optimistic about their chances of bouncing back.
"It was an express preparation, with an express meeting with the team, and individual discussions," Xabi Alonso told reporters on Friday.
"Friday is our last training session with the whole team. Of course, we don't have a lot of time to prepare for Saturday, but that's our normal dynamic.
"We will see if this express meeting was efficient or not."
Leverkusen needed a late goal to snatch a 3-2 win at Borussia Monchengladbach in their opener, before going down 3-2 against Leipzig, but the manager does not believe it is all doom and gloom.
"We're doing a lot of things very well, but there are a few things we need to improve to reach our best level," he said.
"There aren't too many things, but there are important things to improve. Hopefully, we have a better performance, a more complete performance.
"It's a football and a mentality issue. We have to improve tactically, with the ball, but also with our mentality and concentration to improve and be a bit better."
The coach said that all his players returned healthy from international duty, and he took the time to back his defender Jonathan Tah after the German came under criticism from an opposition manager.
After the 2-2 Nations League draw between Germany and the Netherlands on Tuesday, Dutch manager Ronald Koeman said that Tah, who was replaced at half-time, had big problems and made a lot of mistakes.
"It's his opinion. My opinion is that Jonathan is a top player for us," Alonso said.
"What he did in the international break, the international game is not my topic. And he was here yesterday, in a good mood, with a good feeling, so that's my main concern."
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