Remember the European Super League?
Let's have a look back at one of the most controversial moments of recent history.
Many of the world's biggest clubs said they were forming a new competition. The European Super League.
You can read the initial report from Greater Manchester Football by clicking the link below
Clubs Announce New Super League Competition (greatermanchesterfootball.blogspot.com)
At the time of the announcement, the story said:
AC Milan, Arsenal FC, Atlético de Madrid, Chelsea FC, FC Barcelona, FC Internazionale Milano, Juventus FC, Liverpool FC, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid CF and Tottenham Hotspur have all joined the new competition as Founding Clubs.
It is anticipated that a further three clubs will join ahead of the inaugural season, which is intended to commence as soon as practicable.
Proposed format of the competition
Twenty participating clubs with fifteen Founding Clubs and a qualifying mechanism for a further five teams to qualify annually based on achievements in the prior season.
Midweek fixtures with all participating clubs continuing to compete in their respective national leagues, preserving the traditional domestic match calendar which remains at the heart of the club game.
An August start with clubs participating in two groups of ten, playing home and away fixtures, with the top three in each group automatically qualifying for the quarter finals. Teams finishing fourth and fifth will then compete in a two-legged play-off for the remaining quarter-final positions.
A two-leg knockout format will be used to reach the final at the end of May, which will be staged as a single fixture at a neutral venue.
Former Manchester United defender @GNev2 had this to say about the plans for a breakaway European Super League 🗣
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 19, 2021
(via @SkySportsPL)pic.twitter.com/WtZhKRCrrs
Joel Glazer, Co-Chairman of Manchester United and Vice-Chairman of the Super League said:
“By bringing together the world’s greatest clubs and players to play each other throughout the season, the Super League will open a new chapter for European football, ensuring world-class competition and facilities, and increased financial support for the wider football pyramid.”
Reaction
The proposals were met with huge criticism.
We will not be covering any European Super League games and we will back the boycott of attendance to matches. We hope others will join us in this fight. This club is too important to its people and the community who depend on the attachment they have to 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗜𝗥 𝗖𝗟𝗨𝗕.
— Man City Report (@cityreport_) April 18, 2021
MUST responds to Super League proposalhttps://t.co/yucocTbXUi pic.twitter.com/hz3nvxveR1
— M.U.S.T (@MU_ST) April 18, 2021
12 years ago - we wouldn’t have even been invited to this shit show they are calling the #SuperLeague
— MCFC - Canal Street Blues Supporters Club🐝 (@CanalStBlues) April 19, 2021
I couldn’t wait to go Wembley next weekend for the @Carabao_Cup Final and now I don’t even no if we are a league club anymore. @ManCity - tonight, you have lost the fans.
What happened next?
It was a dramatic few days as the whole thing collapsed rather quickly. On 20th April 2021 at 7 pm, Chelsea publicly signalled their intention to withdraw from the Super League after chairman Bruce Buck met with the players.
Less than one hour later, Manchester City commenced procedures to withdraw from the Super League. Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur followed soon after, whilst Chelsea was the last English club to formally announce its withdrawal in the early hours of 21 April.
The same day, Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan, and AC Milan confirmed their exits. Three days into its founding, nine of the twelve clubs had announced their plans to withdraw, with just Juventus, Barcelona, and Real Madrid remaining.
The new Champions League
It was reported in May 2022 that there would be huge changes to to the UEFA Champions League.
UEFA officials, clubs and leagues have agreed to revisions for the expanded Champions League format, including increasing the number of group stage matches to eight.
The reformatted group stage would still grow from 32 to 36 teams starting in 2024 but the number of rounds will only jump from six to eight per team rather than 10.
You can read more by heading to the ESPN website.
Many people have been critical of this new format. It's better than the Super League though?