Time.news – The end of the Superlega operation, a sort of coup carried out ‘cold’ by the 12 richest and most famous (and indebted) clubs in the world is pronounced by its biggest sponsor, Andrea Agnelli, when he declares surrender this morning: “To be honest, we can’t go on.”
What’s behind this incredible flop? How is it possible that 12 companies (and 12 shareholders of the richest and most powerful in the world) have made such a glaring mistake by underestimating all the elements that have been unleashed against their project? The most probable explanation is given to the Time.news by UEFA sources who reveal unpublished details of the days that preceded the attempted ‘coup’.
Time.news of a flop (announced)
Let’s go in order.
FRIDAY APRIL 16, morning. The Board of Directors of the ECA, the Association of European Clubs, the body that represents about 200 football clubs at European level chaired by Andrea Agnelli, unanimously approves the formula for the new Champions League which will start in 2024-2025.
FRIDAY APRIL 16, afternoon. The ECA and the Club Competitions Committee (committee of Uefa club competitions composed of the majority of the representatives of the clubs) of which Ivan Gazidis, CEO of Milan is part and present, approve the format that on Monday 19 April UEFA will have to announce during the meeting of its Executive Committee.
Then what happens? From the 12 clubs behind the attempted Super League an ultimatum arrives to JP Morgan: either you give us the money immediately to settle part of our debts and officially start the project or we have to accept the Champions League as it was conceived ( also from us) which will depart, however, in two years, late to avoid the bleeding in progress.
The economic commitment arrives: 3.5 billion one-off immediately to be repaid in the following years with the tournament proceeds. With the American financial there are also two funds, a Spanish linked to Florentino Perez of Real Madrid and a US linked to the English teams, as well as probably a Saudi one (which, more than any other, helps to keep Paris Saint-Germain away. Qatar-owned by the project). Once the lenders have been found, the Superlega can become a reality. At least in the idea of the 12 partners who hastily accelerate the project they have been studying for some time. The rumors begin to circulate and also reach the ears of Alexander Ceferin.
SATURDAY APRIL 17, morning. The Uefa president calls Andrea Agnelli, to whom he is also linked by a long-standing friendship (Ceferin is the godfather of his daughter), and asks him for an account of the rumors about an imminent announcement of the birth of a competition beyond his jurisdiction. On the other end of the phone the usual reassurances: “Nothing true, don’t worry. Anyway, we’ll talk soon.” Then, as told by Ceferin himself, Agnelli’s phone is no longer reachable.
SUNDAY 18 APRIL. Agnelli continues to be unreachable and Ceferin understands that the rumors are concrete. And so he calls the federations and national leagues of the clubs involved in the Superlega project and in the afternoon Uefa issues a joint note with the English Football Federation and Premier League, the Royal Spanish Football Federation and La Liga, the Italian Football Federation and Lega Serie A. Ceferin warns dissident clubs : “We will remain united in our efforts to stop this cynical project. We will consider all the measures available to us, at all levels, both judicial and sporting, in order to prevent this from happening.” Then, in the note, he adds: “This persistent self-interest of a few has been going on for too long. When too much is too much.”
Sunday passes without twists. Then, shortly after midnight, the blitz of what someone at Uefa has renamed “that dirty dozen” and a statement in which the official birth of the Super League is put on paper: “Twelve prestigious European clubs today jointly announced an agreement to establish a new midweek football competition, the Super League, governed by the founding clubs. Milan, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Barcelona, Inter, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Tottenham have joined as founding clubs. “
An acceleration and a timing of communication that immediately appear suicidal. First, because no revolutions are announced late at night. Then because it is at least unusual to communicate the coup just a moment before the alleged defenestrator is about to speak to the world and denounce the “betrayal”. Third, a clearly disruptive project is not presented to the public without having explained it in detail, especially when it needs popular support and that of the institutions. None of this is done.
MONDAY 19 APRIL. The Superlega was immediately bombarded by fire from fans, experts, professionals and football institutions. Uefa, gathered for the Executive Committee, fired heavy blows by the disappointment of public opinion. Ceferin does so, who comes to call Andrea Agnelli a “snake” and tells of the betrayal consumed by his former friend. A very violent attack followed by the equally violent (and much more decisive) threats from the English and Spanish governments.
A little later, Italy also joins the other two. Draghi declares: “The government strongly supports the positions of the Italian and European football authorities to preserve national competitions, meritocratic values and the social function of sport. “Less harsh than Boris Johnson (who threatens the ‘German model’ with the supporters who own 51% of the club’s shares, no visas to the foreign players purchased, many club taxes and restriction of TV rights), but still on the same line.
The surrender of the English clubs
Then the story is known: the six English clubs, also due to the strong pressure of the fans – who across the Channel consider themselves as such and not ‘customers’ – withdraw from the project and apologize. And gradually the others also disappear. It is the end of the Super League, which died even before it was born. And now, as in all self-respecting failed revolutions, the ‘conspirators’ (as defined by UEFA in an official statement) will pay the consequences. For now, only Manchester United CEO Ed Woodward has resigned.
The fate of Andrea Agnelli
As for Andrea Agnelli, has already left, after the announcement of the Super League, the position of president of the ECA (an association that brings together about 200 European clubs) and that of member of the Uefa Executive. With the dream of the ‘best’ tournament over, now the Juventus president finds himself without an international role and under observation also at Juventus: he has been pointed out by UEFA as the real responsible for the attempted split and his image is strongly compromised. In addition to the fact that the economic situation of the club, after the ‘Superlega coup’ failed, is far from prosperous.
As for the AC Milan CEO Ivan Gazidis, the success of the Rossoneri club in the league with the second place ever closer and the conquest (on the field) of a place in the Champions League is likely to overshadow the issue of the Super League flop.