UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin says “football is united” against any attempts to revive a European Super League.
The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Justice said on Thursday that UEFA rules allowing it to grant prior approval to new competitions such as the Super League were contrary to EU law, leading Super League’s backers A22 to declare victory and announce proposals for new men’s and women’s competitions.
Clubs including Manchester United, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan – founder members of the original Super League back in 2021 – have already pledged their commitment to the existing competitions they play in, while the Premier League released a statement rejecting the Super League concept.
“Whilst there is always room for improvement, football remains united as you see today,” Ceferin said at a press conference which also featured the leaders of the European Club Association, European Leagues, Football Supporters Europe and world players’ union FIFPRO.
“Three or four (of the original 12 Super League clubs in 2021) were the first to give statements today that they will never join. So even the ones who were there (in 2021) are the first ones to be against.”
Ceferin criticised the way the court’s judgement had been communicated to the media and said that when the case began in 2021, UEFA’s authorisation rules were different from how they look today after an update in June 2022.
He said UEFA would fully review whether the 2022 rules were in line with the ECJ’s ruling that stated they must be “transparent, objective, non-discriminatory and proportionate”. UEFA insisted the 2022 rules were developed in consultation with the European Commission.
Article 7.4 of UEFA’s 2022 rules state that authorisation of a new competition is conditional on it not adversely affecting the good functioning of UEFA’s existing competitions.
The rules state this condition is necessary “to protect the sporting merit of UEFA competitions, the good functioning of the international calendar as well as the health and safety of players” but would appear to make approval of a rival competition featuring Europe’s top clubs under UEFA auspices impossible.
A22 chief executive Bernd Reichart earlier declared “football is free” after the verdict and said it now gave competition organisers like his company the right to pitch its plans.
He announced details for new men’s and women’s competitions which he said would be “open and meritocratic”. He also said fans would be able to stream live matches for free.
Ceferin mocked the A22 presentation and said: “It’s really hard to decide if you should be shocked or amused by the show that we have seen.
“Since it’s close to Christmas I will choose amusement, I am amused by it.”
He said the new format was “even more closed” than the 2021 version “especially the interesting idea that (domestic) champions would qualify in a Blue League, which is a third-tier competition”.
On A22’s reaction to the verdict, Ceferin added: “I have a feeling that A22, now it’s close to Christmas, saw a big, well-decorated box under the tree.
“They were super-happy (and) started to celebrate. But when you open the box you’ll see that it’s not much inside.”
United said their position had not changed following Thursday’s ruling and said they “remain fully committed to participation in UEFA competitions, and to positive co-operation with UEFA, the Premier League, and fellow clubs through the ECA on the continued development of the European game”.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the chairman of the ECA and president of Paris St Germain, who refused to join the Super League in 2021, said: “The best club competition in the world is the Champions League. The music itself is a brand.
“You have a brand that exists already for years and years. We are, as clubs, proud to be part of it.
“I have received I don’t know how many calls from clubs (since the ruling), and you see their statements. All of us as stakeholders, we’re standing together to protect the ecosystem of football.”
Fans were key to the demise of the 2021 Super League and Football Supporters’ Association chief executive Kevin Miles said on Thursday: “We all want to see the trigger pulled on the walking dead monstrosity that is the European Zombie League.”
The Premier League’s statement was less colourful but no less significant.
“The ruling does not endorse the so-called ‘European Super League’ and the Premier League continues to reject any such concept,” a league statement said.
“Supporters are of vital importance to the game and they have time and again made clear their opposition to a ‘breakaway’ competition that severs the link between domestic and European football.
“The Premier League reiterates its commitment to the clear principles of open competition that underpin the success of domestic and international club competitions.
“Football thrives on the competitiveness created by promotion and relegation, the annual merit-based qualification from domestic leagues and cups to international club competitions and the longstanding rivalries and rituals that come with weekends being reserved for domestic football.”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said: “With the greatest respect for the European Court of Justice, today’s judgement does not change anything, really.
“Historically, we have been organising the best competitions in the world and this will also be the case in the future.
“We will continue to deliver the world’s most spectacular, competitive and meaningful tournaments and use our revenues to develop football in every corner of the globe through solidarity programmes that ensure the less privileged benefit from those top competitions.”
Dewsbury-Hall: Maresca will surprise people at Chelsea
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall believes new Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca will "surprise a lot of people" when they watch the Blues this season.
The Italian led Leicester City straight back to the Premier League as Championship winners in his only season in charge and succeeds Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge.
The Foxes topped the second division table with 98 points, with Dewsbury-Hall a key figure in his squad as he netted 12 goals and provided 14 assists last season – his best tally in a single campaign.
Dewsbury-Hall was also named Leicester's Player and Players' Player of the Year.
The midfielder made the switch to West London earlier this month for £30million and is confident that Maresca will have Chelsea challenging for trophies in no time.
"The manager was a big catalyst in wanting me to come," Dewsbury-Hall told BBC Sport.
"I knew from Leicester, a club that went down and had a lot of problems, how he managed to galvanise that if everyone manages to buy into the system.
"I genuinely think in a short space of time we can be pushing for minimum top four - but more than that.
"He may be unknown for a lot of people, but he is top, top level. He will surprise a lot of people."
Chelsea's pre-season got off to a frustrating start as they were held to a 2-2 draw by League One side Wrexham in Maresca's first game in charge on Wednesday.
Dewsbury-Hall did not play in that match but is training with the squad in the United States and could feature in their next outing against Celtic on Saturday.
The 25-year-old is confident the manager's tactics will come across soon, with the players buying into his style.
"We've only been doing it for two or three weeks, but the combination plays are really quick and tidy," he added.
"That's after two weeks. I remember he said to us at Leicester after six months or a year, there might be teething problems at the start, but it will improve.
"Within the first week at Leicester, I was convinced this was top, top level. I felt a bit stupid; I thought I knew a lot about football, but he was teaching me things on a daily basis that I didn't really know before. He has an aura, he can be strict, or gentle and soft - he has both sides.
"I am getting the same feedback here with the lads. They've bought into it here from minute one which is exciting. With a system and philosophy, you need everyone to buy in because, if they do, you can really achieve something."
Ederson slams reports of rift with Man City backup Ortega
Ederson has hit out at reports of a rift between himself and fellow Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega.
The Brazilian was substituted after suffering a fractured eye socket in City's penultimate game of the Premier League season, a vital 1-0 win over Tottenham.
Ortega replaced him and made a brilliant save to deny Son Heung-min as City maintained their slender lead over Arsenal at the top of the table, sealing an unprecedented fourth straight title by beating West Ham five days later.
Ortega was widely lauded for his role in that triumph, and an article published by The Athletic this week suggested Ederson took issue with that praise.
However, the goalkeeper – who missed the Copa America as a result of his injury – has now moved to shut down those suggestions with a post to his Instagram story.
"I would like to clarify that the note published by The Athletic yesterday, referring to my alleged dissatisfaction with a co-worker, is completely false," he wrote.
"The alleged day reported was, without a doubt, one of the most difficult days of my career, when I suffered a fracture that prevented me from playing in the final stretch of the season and, consequently, from representing my country in the Copa America.
"At the time of the injury, my only thought was to continue in the match, defending City in the fight for the title.
"But the emotion of the match would be greater than the reality and, inevitably, I would not be able to continue as I would have liked due to the damage it caused, completely blocking my field of vision. I remain focused on preparing for the season."
Ederson has been linked with a transfer in recent days, reportedly attracting interest from Saudi Pro League clubs.
Slot's Liverpool success will be measured by trophies, says McAllister
Gary McAllister says Arne Slot must be prepared to aim high by targeting trophies if he is to be successful with Liverpool.
The Dutchman is set to begin his first season in charge of the Reds after being appointed as Jurgen Klopp's successor in May.
Liverpool enjoyed a trophy-laden spell under the German, winning their first-ever Premier League title, as well as a Champions League, a Club World Cup, a Super Cup, an FA Cup and two EFL Cups.
However, Slot was no stranger to success while at Feyenoord, leading the team to the Eredivisie title in 2022-23 before lifting the KNVB Cup in April during his final season with the club.
McAllister, who won five trophies in the two years he spent at Liverpool, says Slot's success will be determined by the silverware he collects.
"Liverpool is a club that's synonymous with winning, and when you don't win you fail," McAllister told Stats Perform.
"When there's a new management team, you're given a little bit more time, but the facts are Liverpool's target, I felt, and as a player that played against them for most of his career, the targets that Liverpool set, you go into every tournament looking to win it.
"You try to win every game and that's the expectation of the club and that's what makes it a very special club."
Klopp spent nine years at Liverpool, breaking club records as his team pushed for trophies on a regular basis.
The Reds enjoyed a club-record 68-match unbeaten run at Anfield over nearly four years in the Premier League between April 2017 and January 2021.
Klopp also oversaw three of the four most prolific seasons in Liverpool's history, including the club-record total of 147 goals scored in 2021-22.
Slot has admitted he has "big shoes to fill", but McAllister believes the 45-year-old will be able to live up to the high expectations left behind by Klopp.
"Arne arriving at the club, following Klopp, realising that it's such a difficult job anyway, but to follow somebody who's done particularly well at the club over an eight, nine-year period is going to be tough, and I don't think the new manager is under any illusions," he added.
"What I would say is he's a man that seems to be a very strong character, good personality, and he's just got to come in and be his own man and trust what he does.
"He's done very well in his previous managerial career and coming to Liverpool I feel is a natural progression in the levels of the game that he's worked at.
"So, everybody at the club will be deeply backing him and be right behind him, he'll have amazing support."
Liverpool's first pre-season game under Slot ended in a 1-0 defeat to Preston North End last week before the players flew out to the United States for a three-game tour.
They are also only one of two Premier League clubs yet to conduct any business in the transfer window so far, but McAllister urged fans to be patient with Slot while he gets settled in his new role.
"Whenever there's a change at a club, I think the fans have got to realise that it does take time for a new manager, a new coaching group to come in and get their ideas over to the players," he said.
"There's got to be a modicum of patience, but at Liverpool, expectation levels are very, very high and sometimes, in professional soccer, in elite soccer, patience is something that most managers don't get.
"As much as the fans have got to be aware that everything is new and there are new ideas, Arne and the players will want to get off to a quick start.
"I feel that this pre-season tour is going to help them start the season against Ipswich Town very strongly. I feel the games that they've got here in the US, here in Pittsburgh against Betis, and then we go to play Arsenal and Manchester United, the build-up is pretty good."
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