The interview is interrupted for a moment, just enough to hear a voice: “President you are right, this is not football, it is no longer sport, but just looking for money, a bargain, go on your way and defend football … ». «Thank you, thank you», the reply of Urban Cairo, president of Torino, editor of this newspaper, disgusted by the pompously named Super League project. “He has no idea – Cairo specifies – of how many testimonies of solidarity, of support, he is receiving: enthusiasts who are even frightened by this competition that they want to create”.
What is your state of mind?
“Of indignation.”
Why?
«Let’s start with Italian football, this Super League is an attack on his health, on the collective interest. Three clubs, Juve, Inter and Milan, have thought exclusively about their economic health, their interests. They don’t care in the least about other clubs, their needs, their problems. Attention, companies that pay their salaries regularly, who struggle, work, plan their activities with conscience. And it doesn’t seem to me that certain virtuous rules of sound financial management are respected in that group of 12 clubs, destined to become maybe 15, that promote the Super League.
A strong Super League with a starting financial base of 3.5 billion. This is the fatal attraction.
“That’s right, with this initial fund we intend to overcome the moment of economic difficulty that everyone is experiencing, some more, some less, but totally disinterested in the common good, in the sufferings of others. There is no sense of responsibility, but a total lack of respect, despite being part of, for example, a Serie A league that has tried to face the moment made even more delicate by the terrible pandemic ».
Why did he scream at “betrayal”? Especially towards Andrea Agnelli, president of Juve, leader of the Super League.
“The project that provided for the entry into Serie A of the funds in a media company had a base of 1.7-1.8 billion, money useful for the common good, also to overcome serious difficulties, an important financing for the relaunch of the same Serie A, which in recent years has lost competitiveness against other European leagues. Agnelli was part of the internal committee delegated to deal with the funds, he had an important role, of primus inter pares. All this required a change in the governance of the League itself. A laborious operation was underway. The committee of 5, which was born on 13 October 2020, had received the delegation of all the other companies. Suddenly the scene changed, despite the shareholders’ vote that had supported the operation of the funds: Agnelli and the owners of Inter distance themselves from the funds. Now we understand why ».
The reason is the supreme interest of Juve, Inter and Milan for the Super League.
«We learn of negotiations between these 12 European clubs, almost all of them in debt, of secret meetings between Agnelli and Perez. This is bad faith, unfair competition. You have a delegation from the Serie A and meanwhile you are dealing with another front, to overcome your serious economic problems, your bad budgets, damaging the clubs that have given you a very specific mandate ».
President Cairo, he also attacked Marotta.
«He is federal councilor, with the delegation of the Serie A: he must resign. Agnelli has left the Eca. I expect a similar act from Marotta for the FIGC. So also Scaroni, president of AC Milan, who is coherent in terms of funds, however, because he has continued to support them, must resign as a Lega advisor. I respect Scaroni, but we need a step back ».
The latest on the Superlega
Did you expect such unanimous dissent from the fans, from international sports institutions, Uefa, Fifa, Eca, throughout Europe, with respect to the Super League?
«I am sincere: yes. Two years ago, in the embryonic phase of this project, the fans had expressed their opposition ».
Why? They should be drawn to the big challenges.
“It is not so. This is a competition that distorts the idea of football, of sport, it does not recognize passion. Football gives emotions, it must be lived following this spirit. Football is participation. I repeat: I see it, I feel it, I perceive it from the messages of the people who criticize the birth of this Super League ».
Political stances are also tough. Premieres such as Draghi, Johnson, Macron took the field and expressed negative opinions.
“I am amazed that the presidents, the properties of these 12 companies that want to give life to the Superlega have not interpreted the annoyance that generates a similar operation, born and imagined on the thrust of sinister financial reasons”.
A maneuver to overcome the economic problems of their societies in style, without giving space to the values of sport.
«Critical moments that everyone lives, especially in this pandemic phase. Look, in my business life I have bought distressed companies, but I have never made unscrupulous operations against other groups and competitors. We have thought about reducing costs, looking for other sources of income, always paying attention to fairness, settling debts and, above all, always paying wages. So in football, where it is useless to deny the difficulties that are general. I read of imaginative capital gains of hundreds of millions, postponing the problems to the future ».
UEFA has been very tough with the Super League clubs. Ceferin relentless with Agnelli. The Gravina Football Federation is equally threatening with Juve, Inter and Milan. But how should we proceed now?
«We need exemplary sanctions. What they have done is very serious. They are undermining the life of the Leagues, including the Italian one ».
In the last few hours signs of crumbling of the castle (of sand) called Super League: five English teams have already dropped out.
“It seems to me they did the right thing, I never believed that such a project could go on.”
What drives you to stay in the world of football?
«The passion, the emotions that a match gives, among these I also put the suffering. It has always been like this, ever since he was a child. I interpret within myself, in my heart and in my head, that fantastic creation by George Bernard Shaw who wrote: “Football is the art of compressing universal history in 90 minutes”. This is the beauty of football, it is certainly not participating following financial criteria ».
When will we see Taurus in Europe?
«The season started badly, now we have found a safer, more harmonious path, the victories are back. We move forward with our own strength, respecting the rules and values of sport. We have no Superalloys to pull out of the cylinder ».
April 21, 2021 (change April 21, 2021 | 09:02)
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