Barcelona chief Joan Laporta is not a fan of the original plans for a European Super League, even though his club have stood by the proposal.

Along with 11 other European heavyweights, Barca attempted to form a breakaway competition in April 2021.

However, nine of the 12 teams withdrew due to the unpopularity of the proposals, with UEFA's reaction particularly strong.

The sides nevertheless avoided any meaningful punishment and three clubs – Barca, Real Madrid and Juventus – remain committed to a Super League.

However, Laporta, who succeeded Josep Maria Bartomeu as Barca president in March of last year, does not believe a closed-shop Super League would be the correct way to go.

Indeed, Laporta believes keeping alive the chance of smaller teams winning major competitions is crucial.

"I think that playing between the big clubs would end up tiring," he said in an interview for the Sonora project. 

"Those of us who like football, [it] would end up tiring us. It's nice and healthy that a smaller team beats the big one. 

"You find that a European Championship is won by Greece and it is very nice. And when Leicester [City] won in England it was special. This is football.

"I entered the Super League as Barca's representative with everything already well advanced. My criteria was, leave a closed league, we have to make an open Super League, where there is a meritocracy.

"Another thing that we have to combine is the Super League with the leagues of each country. For me that is very important. I believe in the leagues of each country and for me it would be a mistake for the Super League to replace the leagues."

Laporta believes further tweaks to the Champions League, despite a new 36-team format having already been announced for the 2024-25 season onwards, are required, however.

He explained: "[We] need an improved Champions League, with a very good competition format, which will surely be the most attractive competition in the world.

"But at the same time you have to maintain the [domestic] leagues, this is essential." 

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez appeared to again promote the idea of a European Super League as he warned the current state of football shows it is "sick".

Perez has been a leading figure in calls for Europe's elite football clubs to secede from UEFA competitions in recent years, and he was chairman of the proposed Super League in 2021.

The breakaway competition collapsed on the back of shaky alliances between clubs as well as political and public pressure, with each of the five aligned Premier League clubs withdrawing in the days following the announcement.

One of Perez's primary arguments for the concept was to allow Europe's elite to play one another more often, though Madrid did face Inter, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool on their way to winning the Champions League last season.

"To fix a problem, you have to first recognise that you have a problem," Perez said at the club's AGM on Sunday. "Our sport is sick. It is losing its leadership as a global sport.

"We mustn't be confused by the impact of Real Madrid's European Cup run when we were involved in seven games of the highest intensity and interest.

"That was the result of the draw, and of the quality and greatness of our team. It was a spectacle that helped bring excitement back to the viewers.

"That's why we believe European competitions must change, to offer fans top-level games year-round between the strongest teams, with the best players competing."

The 75-year-old also cited tennis, where the recently retired Roger Federer has regularly faced fellow elite players Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

"In tennis, Nadal and Federer have played 40 times in 15 years. Nadal and Djokovic have played 59 matches in 16 years," Perez added, quoted by ESPN.

"In football, we've only played Liverpool nine times in 67 years. We've played Chelsea four times in the history of the European Cup. What sense does it make to deprive fans of all these games?"

Perez also spoke of a recent ranking from Forbes of the world's 50 most valuable sports teams, which had Madrid down in 13th, below several US sports teams.

"We were top in all sports, and now we've fallen to 13th," he said. "We've been overtaken by 12 clubs from American sports. They must be doing something very well in the United States and very badly in Europe.

"Football is losing the global entertainment battle against other sports and other platforms.

"We need a professional, modern, transparent management, not based on old structures designed in the last century. 

"Recently the chairman of the European Clubs' Association [Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi] said – talking about the Super League – that Real Madrid are afraid of the competition. Maybe the president of the ECA has to be reminded who Real Madrid are. Competition is in our DNA."

Gary Neville has labelled investment from the United States a "clear and present danger" to English football following Todd Boehly's call for the Premier League to learn from American sports.

Chelsea chairman Boehly made several controversial suggestions when discussing the future of the English game on Tuesday, making the case for the introduction of an annual all-star game and relegation play-offs. 

Boehly said any future all-star match could pit players from the Premier League's northern clubs against those from the south, with the additional revenue used to fund the wider football pyramid.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp poured cold water on that idea after the Reds' Champions League win over Ajax, declaring: "I'm not sure people want to see that".

Former Manchester United defender Neville, an outspoken critic of the Red Devils' US-based owners the Glazer family, has advocated for English football to introduce an independent regulator since the botched launch of the European Super League in April 2021.

Neville has doubled down on that call in response to Boehly's suggestions, tweeting: "I keep saying it but the quicker we get the regulator in the better. 

"US investment into English football is a clear and present danger to the pyramid and fabric of the game. 

"They just don't get it and think differently. They also don't stop till they get what they want!"

A fan-led review of English football was launched in response to the failed establishment of the Super League last year, with the UK Government subsequently backing plans to introduce an independent regulator.

The Premier League, however, claimed such a change was unnecessary in a statement released in April, though the league said it accepted the need for reforms.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin declared European football must remain open to all clubs amid ongoing speculation concerning a breakaway Super League.

Although the majority of the Super League's founding members withdrew in the face of public and political pressure following a much-criticised launch last April, the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus remain committed to the project.

Florentino Perez, who was to be named Super League chairman, has continued to call for Europe's elite clubs to secede from UEFA, insisting the breakaway competition was "still alive" in June.

More recently, Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos backed the stance of the Blancos president by claiming: "It [the Super League] should have been in operation for a long time".

But Cerferin, speaking at the FPF Football Talks Portugal 2022, emphasised his confidence in the continental game's existing structure.

"Football, for sure, will stay open in our competition always. The essence of European football, which is by far the strongest football in the world, is that it's open," he said.

"What those people who think that only the elite play football don't understand is that even they would be much worse if they wouldn't have everyone competing. 

"Last season we saw Sheriff [Tiraspol] from Moldova winning in Madrid against Real Madrid. If my Slovenian team with a budget of two million won against Tottenham, that's the essence of European football. It's part of our culture. It's part of our history and it will never change. 

"It shouldn't change and what many people don't know is that UEFA returns in club football 93.5 per cent of all the revenues to the clubs, and altogether 97 per cent of all the revenues go back to the clubs. 

"This is the most important part of football and that's why we are as successful as we are. I absolutely insist and will insist that the dream will stay alive for everyone."

One of the clubs' major motivations for looking to break away from UEFA, besides the ability to regulate their own competition, is to arrange more money-spinning contests against other elite sides.

Despite the Super League's demise, the participants are set to get their wish when the Champions League introduces an additional four group-stage matches for each team from the 2024-25 season. 

That change has been met with fierce criticism from some quarters, with the busy nature of the football calendar already a major talking point.

While Ceferin acknowledged the challenges created by the schedule, he claimed a "balance" between player welfare and financial sustainability had been found, and pledged there were no further reforms planned. 

"The calendar is very dense. I have to say it feels close to the limit probably. The thing is that clubs have to stay sustainable," he added.

"If clubs want to be sustainable, they have to have a certain amount or number of matches. Now, the ones who complain are mainly from the big clubs who really play more than the others, but from the other point of view, they have 25 top-class players.

"So the truth here is not black and white. I think we should seriously think about the number of matches, some think that two cups are too much. That's not the jurisdiction of UEFA to decide.

"But in principle, from one point of view clubs are saying that they want matches to get revenues so they can say sustainable. From the other point of view, some are complaining about too many matches. 

"So we have to find a balance here. I think we did find it and we changed the competition post 2024. After that, I don't see any possibility of changing anything soon."

Meanwhile, Ceferin also highlighted his confidence the World Cup would make a return to Europe in 2030, backing a joint bid from Spain and Portugal. 

"I see it as a winning bid. We will do whatever we can to help the bid. It's time for Europe to host the World Cup. Both countries are passionate about football," he said.

"You feel and you smell football in Spain and Portugal. The infrastructure is great. 

"So we have some plans on how to help. I think, and I'm sure, that will have the World Cup in 2030 in Spain and Portugal."

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi believes the 12 teams who attempted to form a European Super League tried to "break the ecosystem of football".

In April 2021, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Milan, Inter, Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool tried to form a breakaway competition.

Along with Bayern Munich, PSG were a notable absentee, with the Ligue 1 side having opted against joining the plan.

The proposal swiftly broke down, with the six English clubs, the Milan teams and Atletico all dropping out, though Juve, Madrid and Barca are still pushing for a Super League.

Al-Khelaifi has been one of UEFA's firm backers in the divide, and replaced Juve chairman Andrea Agnelli as head of the European Club Association (ECA).

Speaking at the FPF Football Talks event in Portugal, Al-Khelaifi claimed the widespread opposition to the Super League proves football's "ecosystem" - the fans - cannot be damaged.

"The ecosystem of football is bigger than just two or three clubs," he said.

"That's very important and I think a message has been sent to everybody that nobody can break the ecosystem of football, the fans.

"The love of football is stronger than anyone and any business."

A contentious new Champions League format will come into play from 2024. A further four teams will be able to qualify, and instead of a group stage, there will be a single, 36-team league.

Teams will no longer play three clubs twice, but will instead face different teams and have more initial fixtures overall. There is also a controversial possibility for two of the extra qualification spots to be handed to the domestic leagues who have performed best in UEFA competitions.

Al-Khelaifi, whose team take on Juve in their Champions League opener on Tuesday, is a fan of the new format, however.

"You call it Super League, I call it non-Super League," he added.

"For me, the sales from the new [Champions League] format, the US has increased without even Spanish language 150 per cent, and the UK and France increased a lot also.

"So I think it shows this new format is a success even before we started it."

Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos anticipates plans for a European Super League will be revived, as he refuted claims of the Premier League's superiority.

Madrid president Florentino Perez has led calls for Europe's elite clubs to secede from UEFA competitions and was the driving force behind last year's proposed breakaway competition. 

While most of the Super League's slated participants withdrew following public and political pressure in April 2021, Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus have remained committed to the project.

In June, Perez branded UEFA's control over the continental game a "monopoly" and declared the Super League was "still alive", and Kroos supports the president's plans. 

Speaking on the podcast OMR, Kroos said: "Never contradict your own president!"

"It is obvious that the idea existed and still exists. It should have been in operation for a long time, I think it will take a while to carry it out and I will probably not see it as an active player.

"My opinion on that is that I still believe it will come, but I can't say when."

Kroos, who has won four Champions League titles since leaving Bayern Munich for Madrid in 2014, also professed his desire to stay with Los Blancos.

"I've been at Real Madrid for eight years and there was closeness from day one," he said of his relationship with Madrid president Perez.

"I know that in these eight years he hasn't thought for a second about selling me. At that time, I came for 'only' €25million, surely I could have been sold later for more money.

"I have an excellent relationship with the club, I've grown very fond of it. The president, the team, the fans... so I won't leave."

It has been suggested the Premier League has developed into a quasi-Super League, with English top-flight clubs spending an estimated £2billion on transfers during the recent window.

But Kroos, who helped Madrid beat Liverpool to claim their 14th European crown in May, says English clubs' shortcomings on the continental front prove that is not the case.

"The Premier League has not won an international title this year," Kroos added. "Television money has been significantly higher in England for years and yet it hasn't resulted in English teams winning everything. 

"Thank god not all players look only at salary, but also at winning."

Madrid begin their Champions League title defence when they face Celtic on Tuesday.

Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus could now face sanctions from UEFA after precautionary measures against such punishments were lifted by a Madrid court.

Madrid, Barca and Juve are the three clubs still committed to the European Super League project, which was launched last year and sought to break away from UEFA's Champions League.

Nine other clubs, including six from the Premier League, backed out of the competition soon after it was announced amid fan pressure.

UEFA was initially prevented from sanctioning those involved, but these measures have now been lifted by judge Sofia Gil Garcia of Madrid's Mercantile Court No. 17.

"It is up to these disciplinary bodies and to the independent arbitrators of the CAS to decide on the possible sanctions against the clubs," the court said via a statement reported in French publication L'Equipe.

A UEFA spokesperson said: "UEFA has today received the order of the Madrid court, lifting the precautionary measures in their entirety.

"UEFA welcomes this decision and is considering its implications. UEFA will not be making any further comment for the time being."

UEFA has backed the 'Win It On the Pitch' campaign organised by Football Supporters Europe over regulation of the game by the European Union.

Key powerbrokers from the sport's continental governing body met with representatives from FSE, the democratic voice of European football fans, on Thursday.

The latter is calling for the EU to protect the principles of the European sports model against American-style franchising, a year on from the failed European Super League.

The Win it On the Pitch campaign aims to safeguard the sport against potential ring-fencing and future breakaway attempts.

"Football belongs to its fans and they played a critical role in stopping last year’s shameless attempt by a few wealthy clubs to take it away," UEFA general secretary Theodore Theodoridis said.

"We applaud FSE for this European Citizens’ Initiative, which we fully encourage and support.

"The European sport model is based on popular principles such as sporting merit, promotion and relegation, and financial solidarity.

"Its principles must be protected at EU-level to ensure the sustainability of clubs, leagues, competitions, and communities."

FSE executive director Ronan Evain echoed Theodoridis' words, and thanked UEFA for their support with the campaign.

"The Super League plot may have failed, but the fight is far from over," he added.

"Win It On The Pitch is a simple way for ordinary citizens to demand the EU take action to secure the future of our most popular and played sport.

"It is more important than ever for all stakeholders to come together to protect clubs and competitions across the continent, as well as the principles on which our game should be based."

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?

Stephen Pagliuca has pledged to keep Chelsea out of any new plans for a European Super League should his bid for the club prove to be a success.

Pagliuca is one of the interested parties in buying Chelsea, with the club up for sale after Roman Abramovich was sanctioned following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

On Monday, it was reported that NBA chairman Larry Tanenbaum and Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin had agreed to back Pagliuca's bid, which is one of four proposals to have made a final shortlist, with the deadline for final offers to be made set for April 14.

Pagliuca had not previously commented publicly on his move to purchase the club but has now outlined his intentions for Chelsea in a statement released to Sky News.

High up in his statement, Pagliuca made specific reference to turning down any offer to be in a Super League, with Chelsea having been one of the 12 sides involved in the breakaway proposal in April 2021.

"Throughout my life and career, my ethos has always been to operate quietly, with integrity, and let my actions and results speak loudly," the statement read.

"However, it is imperative to clarify and assure supporters about our bid group and its commitments, to emphasize how seriously we take our potential responsibility to Chelsea.

"Our first focus and goal is to make strategic investments to continue competing for championships and trophies.

"We will support our players and managers to make sure that Chelsea are habitual winners and title contenders, whether in the Premier League, Champions League or the Women's Super League, the only Super League we intend competing in, for the record.

"In addition, we will continue to invest in the youth academy to develop the stars of the future and we would not be in this process if we did not have an exciting and inclusive vision for Chelsea."

Pagliuca also stressed that there would be no plans to alter Chelsea's colours, name or logo, while suggesting a new stadium - or the redevelopment of Stamford Bridge - would also be on the agenda.

"Chelsea is a world-class team, in a world-class city, with world-class fans: it deserves a world-class stadium," he said, before emphasising the importance of the club's community endeavours.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin says the Super League's remaining backers "must live in a parallel world", amid reports that Juventus, Real Madrid, and Barcelona are looking to revive the project, almost a year on from the breakaway competition's ill-fated launch. 

The proposed Super League was announced on April 18th last year, although nine of the competitions' 12 founding clubs moved to renounce the idea within days after it provoked a fierce backlash from across the footballing world. 

However, Madrid, Barca and Juve remain committed to the project, with Bianconeri president Andrea Agnelli reportedly keen to kick-start a new proposal.

Speaking at the Financial Times' Business of Football Summit in London, at which Agnelli was present, the UEFA president has now hit out at the clubs' owners for discussing the return of the controversial competition during the midst of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"First they launched [this] nonsense idea in middle of a pandemic," Ceferin said of the club owners. "Now we are hearing they are launching another in a war. 

"They must live in a parallel world."

Ceferin has previously labelled Agnelli, as well as the Spanish giants' presidents Florentino Perez and Joan Laporta, as "incompetent", and accused them of trying to "kill football".

Meanwhile, Ceferin also spoke about the sporting sanctions being placed on Russia in the aftermath of the invasion on Ukraine.

FIFA and UEFA have moved to expel Russian teams from its competitions, including the upcoming Women's European Championships in England, for which Russia had qualified, while St Petersburg has been stripped of this season's Champions League final.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez warned UEFA must remember who his side are amid continued European Super League and Financial Fair Play disputes.

Madrid were one of the 12 founding clubs of the doomed Super League last April, with nine of the sides involved quickly withdrawing their intention to feature amid a furious and widespread backlash.

The nine clubs who pulled out, including six Premier League teams, were welcomed back to the European Club Association (ECA) but UEFA opened proceedings against Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus before later declaring them "null and void".

While Perez and Juventus' Andrea Agnelli argued the breakaway format would be the saviour of football, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin claimed the trio attempted to "kill football".

But Madrid's chief Perez is still refusing to give up hope on the Super League as he insisted the LaLiga outfit would not back down from threats, nor intentionally harm domestic leagues with the new competition.

"It is not just a new competition, it is much more, it is trying to change the dynamics of football," Perez said at Madrid's Ordinary General Assembly on Saturday.

"It is also freedom, so that the clubs are masters of their destiny [with Financial Fair Play] and it is the project that will finally make it happen."

"The Super League is the project that will avoid situations in which clubs get indiscriminate support. It would only develop if it's compatible with the domestic leagues.

"It's time to remind UEFA who Real Madrid is. Real Madrid created FIFA along with seven federations, then created the Champions League in 1955 along with L'Equipe."

Madrid do not just have problems with European football's governing body either, Los Blancos – along with Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao – are also challenging LaLiga's private equity investment deal with CVC Capital Partners.

LaLiga and CVC signed a deal, originally ratified by 38 of the 42 sides in Spain's top two divisions, meaning the latter would receive 11 per cent of the revenue from television rights over the next 50 years in exchange for an investment into the league.

The Spanish trio - after Oviedo changed their stance - announced in September they would contest the agreement, while Madrid confirmed they would launch civil and criminal lawsuits against LaLiga president Javier Tebas and CVC chief Javier de Jaime Guijarro over the proposed deal.

"It does not make sense and is very profitable for the rest of the clubs," Perez added.

"I never imagined that I would be told by the press that they were going to take away our rights, the league being a mere marketer according to the law.

"It is an operation full of very serious irregularities and would have damaged our heritage.

"The fund is the same one that has tried to do the same in Germany and Italy where they failed. They approached several clubs in distress - it's absurd to even consider accepting that CVC deal."

Giorgio Chiellini insists a European Super League is needed, and has also suggested the number of teams in Serie A should be reduced.

The controversial proposal for a breakaway Super League, which involved the 'big six' Premier League sides along with Juvetus, Inter, Milan, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Barcelona, was announced in April.

After huge criticism from governing bodies and fan groups, the six English teams, plus Inter, Milan and Atleti, withdrew from the agreement.

Barca, Madrid and Juve, however, have stood by the plan, with UEFA's attempts to punish the trio having proved fruitless.

While the majority of players have spoken out against the proposal, Juve captain Chiellini believes it is exactly what European football requires.

"I've been talking to the [Juve] president for a few years now about this," Chiellini, who will miss Italy's clash with Switzerland on Friday due to injury, told DAZN Italia.

"The future of football is increasingly towards a European approach compared to national leagues. A player at Juve's level wants to play those games, with all due respect.

"Athletes of our level, but also perhaps the fans, want to see more of these European-level fixtures.

"We have reached the point of no return. Institutions, clubs and players must meet to reform the calendar and create new competitions to relaunch this sport, which remains the most beautiful in the world, but can also be improved.

"In the USA, who are masters of this sort of thing, they created Super Leagues in every sport."

Chiellini also thinks Serie A should be reformed and ideally cut to 16 teams.

"There are some Serie A teams who are in the way," Chiellini said.

"We really ought to go back to 16 teams, but I think 18 would allow the league to be more competitive and give extra space to European level fixtures."

Juventus president Andrea Agnelli is refusing to give up hope on the European Super League while insisting no player, not even Cristiano Ronaldo, is bigger than Juventus.

Juve were one of 12 prospective founding members to announce their intention to form the breakaway, closed-shop competition involving Europe's elite.

The news of the potential breakaway caused anger across the continent, with all six English clubs involved subsequently pulling out alongside Atletico Madrid, Milan and Inter.

However, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juve stood firm on their commitment towards the radical changes in European football.

Agnelli once again addressed the matter on Friday prior to the Juve shareholders' meeting, held at the Allianz Stadium.

"The Super League, the consequences on ECA and UEFA, for the roles held for Real Madrid, Barcelona and today we are waiting for a ruling by the European Court of Justice," Agnelli told reporters.

"The Super League was the admission from 12 clubs that football is refusing change to maintain a political class that does not risk, does not compete but wants to cash in only.

"I do not want to give up, and I did not do it yesterday, I will not do it tomorrow.

"The system needs a change and Juve wants to be part of it. But only through constructive dialogue, for everyone."

Ronaldo, who joined the Bianconeri in 2018 before returning to Manchester United in September, was then praised by Agnelli despite the Juve president insisting no player is bigger than his club.

"Having had the best player in the world, Cristiano, was an honour and a pleasure," he added.

"The only regret is having had him for a year and a half without an audience at the Stadium. But it's the Juventus shirt that requires responsibility, not team-mates or work-mates.

"Juventus are bigger than anyone who has had the honour of crossing their path from 1897 to today; we must remember the values of Juventus and Turin: work, sacrifice, and discipline, which is what inspires all those who work here.

"As Oriana Fallaci said, you have to love, fight, suffer and win. And this must inspire us: we must love Juventus, fight for it, be ready to suffer, and always have the objective to win.

"We have to work as a single body, knowing that the team and the group come first. We are all useful, no one is indispensable."

LaLiga president Javier Tebas pleaded for a more sustainable level of spending across football as he refused to take the blame for Lionel Messi's departure from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain.

Messi left his only senior side Barca to join PSG on a free transfer after the Catalan club were unable to offer him a contract due to LaLiga's spending restrictions.

Barca's salary cap was cut to €97million this season due to a combination of their lavish prior outlay and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Messi instead headed for big-spending PSG in France, but Tebas believes Ligue 1, along with Serie A, should follow LaLiga in keeping a closer eye on finances.

He suggested LaLiga needed its fellow 'top five' leagues to stay afloat in order to ensure the European Super League, proposed last season before a swift collapse, does not return.

Faced with financial difficulties, Barca, Real Madrid and Juventus remained committed to the Super League project, even as their domestic rivals and the Premier League's 'big six' backtracked.

"Is the transfer of Messi to PSG my fault? Obviously not," Tebas said, speaking at the Festival dello Sport. "We need sustainability in football. It is a special sector, football is passion and belonging, but in recent years it has become a business.

"Serie A has been at a loss for 20 years, what matters is the total balance. This also happens in France, not in Germany and not from us.

"What did we have to do to be sustainable? The competition must be regulated by some rules; otherwise, teams like PSG will arrive and invest €400m in a single summer. They have very high salaries; this leads to inflation.

"It is not our fault that Messi has not renewed his contract; we have a salary cap in LaLiga, a rule approved by all the teams, and this is what makes LaLiga sustainable. If there were such controls also in Italy and France, there would be no more losses.

"The economic solidity of the other leagues is also fundamental for Spain: if there are no strong leagues, the risk of the Super League is always high.

"I have said it many times to [Juventus chief] Andrea Agnelli: 'Do you want to go to the Super League where Real Madrid and Barcelona will earn more and more than you?'"

As well as the Super League, Tebas is opposed to the idea of a biennial World Cup put forward by Arsene Wenger, the former Arsenal manager and FIFA's chief of global football development.

The LaLiga boss was frustrated FIFA had not first involved the leagues.

"Football has a problem with governance," he said. "FIFA wants to change the international calendar with a unilateral decision. This has an impact on the leagues.

"If you want to take a decision with an impact on domestic leagues, the FIFA Council cannot just take the decision with the Solomon Islands voting, too. With UEFA, we have reached an agreement with the leagues.

"The biennial World Cup will have an impact on the revenues of clubs like Torino and other Italian clubs, no doubt about that.

"Leagues cannot just be consulted in the decision-making, they need to be part of the decision."

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