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 Newspapers reacted with outrage after 12 leading clubs announced the formation of the European Super League.
Newspapers reacted with outrage after 12 leading clubs announced the formation of the European Super League. Composite: Various
Newspapers reacted with outrage after 12 leading clubs announced the formation of the European Super League. Composite: Various

‘It’s war’: what the papers say about the European Super League

This article is more than 2 years old

Newspapers in the UK trotted out war metaphors after 12 of the continent’s top football clubs revealed controversial plans

The rebels have made their move, and Gary Neville had barely finished his furious “imposters” tirade before the continent’s newspapers started trotting out the war metaphors.

“Football at war” was the popular choice for editors sending Monday’s print editions to press after 12 football clubs across England, Spain and Italy announced the formation of the European Super League on Sunday night.

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How Uefa's new 'Swiss system' Champions League works

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New UEFA 'Swiss system' for the Champions League

From the 2024/25 season, the UEFA Champions League will be expanded to 36 teams. Replacing the group stage is one 'Swiss system' league table, and each team is guaranteed to play ten matches, five home and five away. Fixtures will be determined by seedings.

The top eight sides in the league table after the ten matches will qualify for the knockout stage. Teams finishing in ninth to 24th place will compete in a two-legged play-off to secure their place in the last 16 of the competition.

From the Round of 16 onwards, the traditional two-legged home and away knockout ties take place, culminating in a one-off final at a neutral venue.

Similar format changes will also be applied to the UEFA Europa League and the new UEFA Europa Conference League competition, which may also be expanded.

'European Super League' proposal

On 18 April 2021, twelve clubs had announced that they intended to be the founding members of a new "European Super League". The clubs were: AC Milan, Arsenal, Atlético de Madrid, Chelsea, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur

Their proposal document stated that there would be "clubs participating in two groups of 10, 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."

The project collapsed in the face of overwhelming opposition from fans, clubs not invited, and the footballing authorities. The six founding English clubs announced they would withdraw..

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Front and back pages alike in Europe declared “war” on all the rich clubs involved, while British papers announced their own “civil war” against England’s “shameless six” – Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur – who had committed a “criminal act against fans”.

In the UK, the Guardian reported that the 20-team midweek competition, a money-driven venture that would effectively supplant the Champions League and the domestic leagues, had been widely “condemned” and left football “in turmoil”.

GUARDIAN SPORT: Football in turmoil #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/ksZlrAEKgv

— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) April 18, 2021

The Daily Express was vitriolic and pointed to a widespread backlash from football officials including the Premier League, the FA and Uefa.

EXPRESS SPORT: It’s War #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/uNLsJ4FSEt

— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) April 18, 2021

The Mail attacked the issue in similar fashion advising the “shameless six” to “back down or break away” after the Premier League wrote directly to its 20 clubs to urge them to walk away “before irreparable damage is done”.

MAIL SPORT: Football At War #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/3dN9OUQ81m

— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) April 18, 2021

The “civil war” motif flowed into the Metro and i Sport, who were equally disgusted at the systematic disembowelment of England’s generations-old football history in the name of capitalism.

METRO SPORT: Civil War #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/QNNn1hKqzC

— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) April 18, 2021

I SPORT: Civil War #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/OcoevIta7n

— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) April 18, 2021

The Mirror labelled the super league, which has been in the pipeline for some time, a “criminal act against fans”, both those who have followed the rebel clubs since before the cash-craziness of modern football, and also the many others rusted on to smaller clubs who will only further suffer financially.

MIRROR SPORT: Criminal Act Against Fans #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/7KlY2tHuMi

— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) April 18, 2021

The Times of London took a swing at England’s big six, signalling the sense of self-entitlement had “sparked outrage”.

TIMES SPORT: Big Six breakaway plot sparks outrage #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/fqPM9phXRG

— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) April 18, 2021

The Telegraph reported that the “rebel clubs face expulsion over breakaway”.

TELEGRAPH SPORT: Rebel clubs face expulsion over breakaway #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/9ypNcAHsWc

— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) April 18, 2021

In France, where no leading clubs – not even Paris St-Germain – have so far signed up, L’Equipe called out Spanish and Italian counterparts Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, Juventus and Inter Milan for engaging in a “war of the rich” – the breakaway league is worth €6bn.

L'equipe: 'War of the riches' pic.twitter.com/nPHzgcEbzh

— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) April 18, 2021

Italy’s newspapers were more welcoming, with both Gazetta dello Sport and Corriere dello Sport’s online headlines focused on the “Nasce la Super Lega!” – the birth of the Super League.

Spain’s AS called the news a “bombazo en el fútbol europeo” – a bombshell in European football – while Marca also lead with the birth of the Super League.

More on this story

More on this story

  • The European Super League: what can Boris Johnson do about it?

  • European Super League faces scorn across continent

  • European Super League clubs promised €200m-€300m ‘welcome bonus’

  • Boris Johnson says government will try to stop European Super League

  • Monday briefing: Fury at plot to split football

  • Only someone who truly hates football can be behind a European super league

  • ‘Pure greed’: Gary Neville takes aim at clubs in European Super League

  • European Super League: how did the clubs get to this point?

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