Football world reacts to Court ruling over Super League

Following is reaction to Thursday’s European Court of Justice ruling that UEFA and FIFA contravened EU law when they prevented the formation of a so-called Super League.

FLORENTINO PEREZ, REAL MADRID PRESIDENT

“At Real Madrid we welcome with enormous satisfaction the decision adopted by the Court of Justice of the European Union, which is responsible for guaranteeing our principles, values ​​and freedoms.

“In the coming days we will carefully study the scope of this resolution, but I do anticipate two conclusions of great historical significance.

UEFA, FIFA breached EU law on Super League, top court rules

BRUSSELS: UEFA and FIFA contravened EU law by preventing the formation of a Super League, the European Court of Justice said on Thursday, in a landmark ruling that could change the way soccer is run. The European clubs that proposed forming the breakaway league, which sparked widespread protests among angry fans, had been threatened with sanctions by UEFA if they went ahead with the plan, leading to nine clubs pulling out. In its ruling, the EU’s top court said that FIFA and UEFA abused their dominant position by forbidding clubs to compete in a European Super League (ESL), although that

“Firstly, that European club football is not and will never again be a monopoly. And secondly, that from today the clubs will be the masters of their destiny.

“In short, today the Europe of freedoms has triumphed again and today football and its fans have also triumphed.”

UEFA

“This ruling does not signify an endorsement or validation of the so-called ‘super league’; it rather underscores a historical shortfall within UEFA’s pre-authorisation framework, a technical aspect that has already been acknowledged and addressed in June 2022.

“UEFA is confident in the robustness of its new rules, and specifically that they comply with all relevant European laws and regulations.”

BERND REICHART, CEO OF A22 SPORTS MANAGEMENT (the company formed to help set up the European Super League)

“We have won the right to compete. The UEFA-monopoly is over. Football is free. Clubs are now free from the threat of sanction and free to determine their own futures.”

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JAVIER TEBAS, SPANISH LALIGA PRESIDENT

“They are already (celebrating) as I warned they would. They have always been able to organise competitions outside the UEFA and FIFA environment, and that cannot be prohibited, the issue is their conditions to be within the organization of UEFA and FIFA.

“The CJEU says that FIFA and UEFA’s competition admission rules are transparent, but not that they should admit the Super League. On the contrary, it points out that the criteria for the admission of competitions must be transparent, objective and non-discriminatory.

“Principles that are precisely incompatible with the Super League.”