(Reuters) – The proposed European Super League will never get off the ground, even if the courts find in its favour, due to opposition from clubs and fans, European Club Association (ECA) Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi said.
Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus were among 12 clubs to announce a breakaway Super League in April last year but the move promptly collapsed, with nine clubs withdrawing, in the wake of a hostile reaction from across the game.
Real, Barca and Juve have continued to push the idea, however, and after a Madrid court stopped UEFA from punishing the clubs the case was referred to the European Court of Justice – which is expected to issue a ruling next week.
“The fans will never let it happen,” Al-Khelaifi, also president of Paris St Germain, told Sky News in an interview published on Wednesday.
“I’m not really worried about the (court) decision. Even I think they will vote in our favour against it. But if not, it will not change anything. Nobody will join them. Nobody will go to the stadium, fans. Nobody will organise anything.
“Who is going to play – three of them? Fantastic Super League.”
Juventus are in the midst of an organisational revamp after their entire board resigned last month, and Al-Khelaifi hoped the Italian club’s new leadership would have a different view on the Super League.
“I hope there will be smarter people there and I’d love to invite them to come back to the family,” Al-Khelaifi said.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
