FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta has insisted that the breakaway European Super League isn’t dead and continues in its mission to be realized one day.
Last April, 12 of European football’s biggest clubs revealed plans to play in a break-away league, only for all six Premier League teams involved to withdraw two days later.
While the perception is that the ESL cannot take place with more teams being involved, Barcelona president Laporta claims that the competition will still go ahead as they look to strengthen their financial position in comparison to the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.
Speaking to TVE, Laporta said: “It’s moving forward. We are promoting the project together with Florentino Perez, with whom I speak often. It is a way to save European football. It is evident that we must fit it into the framework of European football and without destroying the domestic leagues. They are essential for us.
“We cannot allow European football to be in the hands of states that do not belong to the European Union. It is clear that [Manchester] City and PSG have a money-making machine, and we are fighting against that.
“Not only the three clubs that I am talking about, but others who are silent, but in the background they give us their support.”
These Joan Laporta’s comments were shared on Twitter by City Report and it attracted plenty of attention from the club’s supporters.
“What does that make the owners of United & Liverpool? Last I checked, the United States were not part of the European Union.”
Credit: @DonQminati
“Aren’t owners of Liverpool, United etc also not part of EU.”
Credit: @DobrevvSelena
“Don’t think American owners are in the EU, also name the clubs with you on this.”
Credit: @jediskitz
“They’re fighting against it by also inviting us to the super league?? Makes sense.”
Credit: @IsaacMCFC
“They have fallen out with City big time cause City leaving was the first domino that lead to the rest of the English sides leaving and made the first attempt collapse.”
Credit: @Jonathanctid
“Your financial mismanagement made you broke. Don’t point fingers at others Barcelona.”
Credit: @Kafkaesque_10
“He is actually stating City & PSG as reasons to manipulate people that Super League is next best thing for football. Don’t get me wrong. I am not anti Super League as in I will lose my love for football if that happens or such. But still this is such a hypocritical thing to say..”
Credit: @NepaliManc
“Liverpool, Man United and Arsenal have non-EU American owners. Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich have taken sponsorship money off non-EU state-backed Middle Eastern airlines.
Laporta isn’t worried about the state of football, he’s worried about being left behind.”
Credit: @AmosMurphy_
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