European Super League - A Reality? (Poll Added)

[Beefymcfc]

Poll added: Would you be in favour of a proposed breakaway league?

European Super League will be a reality in five years, claims Galatasaray chairman Unal Aysal

Unal Aysal says serious talks have taken place over formation of new league when current deal between Uefa and European Club Association expires in 2018

Europe’s biggest clubs are actively plotting to set up a European Super League in the next five years, according to the chairman of Galatasaray.

Unal Aysal and Juventus president Andrea Agnelli both raised the spectre of the Champions League being scrapped and replaced by a “closed” competition of the continent’s 20 top teams.

The concept of a European Super League is nothing new but Aysal claimed serious talks had taken place over making that “dream” a reality when the current memorandum of understanding between Uefa and the European Club Association expires in 2018.

Aysal was adamant nearly every big team in Europe would back such a revolution and also warned Uefa they would not hesitate to form a breakaway league if the governing body refused to sanction it.

Speaking at the Leaders in Football conference in London, Aysal said: “The system has to be put in place, either by Uefa or by the clubs themselves. Then we will decide if a breakaway will be necessity or not.

“It’s not yet totally elaborated and prepared and put on the paper. But it is a concept that is under discussion for a few years. It is not a new concept, but we favour it.”

He added: “The first 15-20 big clubs of Europe all agree with this – nobody will say no. Manchester United, Paris St Germain, Real Madrid.

“There may be one or two exceptions for local reasons, political reasons, and I will understand, but as the future for European clubs and the future of football, nobody can say no to this.

“Every reality starts with a dream. At the moment, it looks like a dream, a vision. I am sure, sooner or later, in a maximum of five years’ time, it will be a reality.

“Other clubs boss presidents and chairman are looking at this opportunity and talking to each other I think we will come together and look into each other’s eyes and follow it.”

Aysal was speaking after bemoaning the amount of prize money Galatasaray received for reaching the Champions League quarter-finals last season, which was a tiny fraction of that awarded to Juventus for making it to the same round.

He said: “We have arrived in a stagnant situation in European football, we are not improving too much. This will open a new chapter in European football.”

Agnelli also talked up the prospect of a European Superleague, having launched a withering attack on the state of Italian football.

“If one was to break out of the system, probably the best competition that could follow is a closed competition with the 20 best European clubs,” he said, although he later insisted he had been speaking hypothetically.

The ECA immediately distanced itself from Aysal’s comments, saying: “This was never discussed by the European Club Association.”

[urlnp=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/champions-league/10370046/European-Super-League-will-be-a-reality-in-five-years-claims-Galatasaray-chairman-Unal-Aysal.html]Link[/urlnp]

[Breks]

I hope this doesn't happen but i fear that it wil.

[Rag_hater]

For me if it is going to happen the sooner the better.The quicker them twats fuck of the better for me,however don't think it will ever happen.
I think all said and done a team like Juve or Gala are not gonna go from a league they have a very good chance of winning to a league they will have no hope of winning.Also if they piss of Uefa they will not be able to get top players

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Can't see it happening myself but if it did it would have to have promotion/relegation.Maybe the two teams that get to the other European final replace the bottom 2 in the super league.

[Wonderwall]

Can't see it happening myself but if it did it would have to have promotion/relegation.Maybe the two teams that get to the other European final replace the bottom 2 in the super league.

I think the whole closed shop point is a big FU to everyone who doesn't get in. They are not interested in competition from outsiders unless they bring a whole shit load of revenue, this would be the only entry criteria as I see it.

[DoomMerchant]

Can't see it happening myself but if it did it would have to have promotion/relegation.Maybe the two teams that get to the other European final replace the bottom 2 in the super league.

I think the whole closed shop point is a big FU to everyone who doesn't get in. They are not interested in competition from outsiders unless they bring a whole shit load of revenue, this would be the only entry criteria as I see it.

agreed. it will be "pay to play" and teams will have to pay a license fee or something to get added, and then we'll have different subdivisions imho to allow for more than 20 teams.

it'll end up like the NHL, or American Football or Baseball i believe. I can see them creating a European West Division with 6 teams or so City, United, Celtic, Ajax, Anderlecht, Copenhagen or something.

They'd probably play a broader schedule, with a schedule strength determined by league finish, but play teams in their division say 4 times a season....with another 20 matches against broader continental teams.

i think it could be fun, but then again i've got a septic mindset.

If they model it on the NFL it will be fucking epic. i promise you. salary caps, transfer window changes, etc.

it could create a parity and a spirit that it absolutely missing...IF other teams can play their way in. If it's a closed league like the NFL without promotion, etc then you're fucked.

It could be as simple as the winners of the top 3 domestic leagues and then 2 ad-hoc teams come up. a 30 team league with five 6 team divisions and 5 teams relegated each season could be fun, couldn't it?

[Bianchi on Ice]

fast forward to 2018...

...'and for just £399.99 per month you can enjoy sky's live and uninterrupted coverage of this months Europremelite league clashes!!!!!!....1 oct..Man utd v Bayern munich
8 oct..bayern munich v man utd
11 oct...man utd v bayern munich
17 oct...bayern munich v man utd
and at no extra cost* 23 oct man utd v bayern munich

*subscribers must purchase a weeks subscription to MUTV (£179.99) to view the free game
Matches can be withdrawn at any time at no notice to cater for new influx of prawn sandwiches
League may be changed at any time if revenues arent more than obscene
terms and conditions apply...except for bayern munich and manchester united

[steelsnail]

fast forward to 2018... ...'and for just £399.99 per month you can enjoy sky's live and uninterrupted coverage of this months Europremelite league clashes!!!!!!....1 oct..Man utd v Bayern munich 8 oct..bayern munich v man utd 11 oct...man utd v bayern munich 17 oct...bayern munich v man utd and at no extra cost* 23 oct man utd v bayern munich *subscribers must purchase a weeks subscription to MUTV (£179.99) to view the free game Matches can be withdrawn at any time at no notice to cater for new influx of prawn sandwiches League may be changed at any time if revenues arent more than obscene terms and conditions apply...except for bayern munich and manchester united

Quality post .

[Nigels Tackle]

my 2 boys will never 'enjoy' football in the way i have. sad times

[DoomMerchant]

my 2 boys will never 'enjoy' football in the way i have. sad times

very sad. they will always know City as this amazing amazing team....one of the best in the world. Really depressing shit. Go kill yourself after you take out your family first of course.

cheers

[Beefymcfc]

It's obvious that it's being talked about, just from the last line of the OP but as a fan would you really want to see this sort of league?

Let's face it from a fans position, where would a Euro league be with only 1 winner? For the majority, it's a lose/lose situation which would cost a fortune in travel costs. The reality is, for me, that it's a fantasy that is being used again to enhance the rich pickings of the so-called elite.

The people who pay want the national and European league, these feckers are trying to push it to the bounds to ensure they dominate and I can only see a backlash coming later.

[Beefymcfc]

my 2 boys will never 'enjoy' football in the way i have. sad times

very sad. they will always know City as this amazing amazing team....one of the best in the world. Really depressing shit. Go kill yourself after you take out your family first of course.

cheers

You're just a sad fuck. From that statement I'm gathering that you'll never quite understand.

Cheers.

[Nige]

It feels like a step by the usual suspects to slam the Blatter wanking fest door closed before the next Cty or PSG come along.

An easier way to get the elite playing regularly on tv would be to ditch the dross in the group stages of the Campions league. Champions only or just eek this out to runners up for Italy, Spain, England etc.

Those twats want their cake and eat it. Rigged draws mean Munich can't play Munich in the current group stage yet want to work towards this with and elite of the elite euro league. Bullshit if you ask me! I'll be back watching Droylsden lose if this gathers support.

[Moonchesteri]

Aysal was speaking after bemoaning the amount of prize money Galatasaray received for reaching the Champions League quarter-finals last season, which was a tiny fraction of that awarded to Juventus for making it to the same round.

What's that all about?

[AG7]

If they replace this with Champions League then yes it could be great ... right now on CL the group stages are a bore (unless you are in a group of death) you know which two teams more or less will go on ... then on its a cup competition with draw at every step ... even there you have seeded teams and unseeded ...

Imagine that being replaced by a parallel league ... so on weekends you play your Premier League games and mid week you play European League games ... there is no mini groups, so everyone plays everyone else ... no draws, leave those for FA Cup and League Cup ... and no need to relegate anyone, simply you have to get into top 4 of your home league to get in next year so you have two leagues to fight for ...

Fucl off the current champions league and Europa league ... or we'll push all the non-comers to such a second tier competition, the likes of Plzen and Malaga and Moscow and Bucharest etc ... and let the big boys play a league of their own ... Get us to fucl off from League Cup at home and then you play those mid weeks in Europe too ... will be more games for fans so who won't be happy, a lot more games for the world on TV, and those too all meaningful, not lob sided group games like in CL, but each game having 3 points up for grabs towards a league total.

Doesn't have to be midweek only, divide weekends too ... play 2 weeks PL and then two weeks Europe Super Duper League so both leagues gets weekend games (for fans to attend) and mid week ones for TV globally.

Here's your League:

Man City
Scum
Arsenal
Chelsea
Bayern Munich
Dortmund
Leverkusen
Shalke
Real Madrid
Barca
Atletico Madrid
Valencia
Juve
AC Milan
Inter Milan
Napoli
Ajax
Porto
Benifica
Galatasaray/Shaktar

Tell me which game will be boring? 3 points towards a Super League? Hell Premier league will look boring after that ... so imagine how much will it attract the Serie A or La Liga viewers ...

Cut that list above to 3 from each and add some more, likes of PSG, Monaco ... I kind of filled it with just the 4 big leagues ... anything's possible and those rejecting this outright right now, could possibly be in for a very enjoyable ride, when (not if) it comes along ...

[john68]

Aysal was speaking after bemoaning the amount of prize money Galatasaray received for reaching the Champions League quarter-finals last season, which was a tiny fraction of that awarded to Juventus for making it to the same round.

What's that all about?

You haven't been paying attention Have you...:-)
There are 2 parts to the funding clubs receive from UeFA for playing in the CL. The 1st part is based on the round a team gets to and the 2nd part is based on other factors such as: the country of the team, English, Spanish, German and Italian teams receive more based on TV audiences etc. When Barca became CL champions at Wembley versus the rags, the beaten rags received about £3M more from UeFA.

[john68]

Here's your League:

Man City........ENGLAND
Scum............ENGLAND
Arsenal..........ENGLAND
Chelsea.........ENGLAND
Bayern Munich...............GERMANY
Dortmund....................GERMANY
Leverkusen..................GERMANY
Shalke........................GERMANY
Real Madrid...............................SPAIN
Barca......................................SPAIN
Atletico Madrid...........................SPAIN
Valencia...................................SPAIN
Juve...............................................ITALY
AC Milan..........................................ITALY
Inter Milan........................................ITALY
Napoli.............................................ITALY
Ajax......................................................HOLLAND
Porto..................................................................PORTUGAL
Benifica...............................................................PORTUGAL
Galatasaray/Shaktar..............................................................TURKEY
.

While you may be right/wrong in your assessment of big clubs, do you really think that would be considered representative of a pan European League. I doubt if so few nations would bring the necessary income in.

[john68]

I am amazed that a European Super League wasn't formed years ago and think the only reason for the delay was the manner in which EuFA crumbled to the G14 demands when they first threatened to break away.

Let's not forget that our own Premier League is itself a breakaway league and a private business owned by those clubs in each year's competition. Let's also not forget that the old G14 effectively control UeFA through its committees and their control of the current European Clubs Assoc.

Will it happen and will it be accepted? You bet your sweet life it will. The only argument will be what format it takes and who will be invited/chosen to join and under what criteria.

Would UeFA try and oppose it? Maybe initially, but under the threat of its prize possessions, its jewels in the European football crown, its largest money earners. if it became inevitable, UeFA would back down and succumb....as it did the first time.

Where the big clubs go, the money goes...It is the global rags and Barcas of the football World that draw in the audiences, and as a unified group, those elite clubs are a mighty powerful financial force. Add to that, there has already been talk of inviting some of the bigger South American clubs to the party....GLOBAL COMP?????

[Rag_hater]

The CL is already a European Super League there don't need to be anything else.Next to super bowl the CL final is the most watched sporting event there is.Euro super league would never make as much money it might distribute what there is more evenly

[Moonchesteri]

You haven't been paying attention Have you...:-)
There are 2 parts to the funding clubs receive from UeFA for playing in the CL. The 1st part is based on the round a team gets to and the 2nd part is based on other factors such as: the country of the team, English, Spanish, German and Italian teams receive more based on TV audiences etc. When Barca became CL champions at Wembley versus the rags, the beaten rags received about £3M more from UeFA.

Clearly not enough! Thought it must be something like that but I had missed that part. Thanks john!