Aleksander Ceferin, president of UEFA, gave a tough speech before being re-elected for four more years and remembered the Super League, the problem that has caused him the most headaches in his last term. “Jealousy is bad advisers. Before it was UEFA that was criticized, now it seems that it is the Premier that is demonized and should be overthrown. The Premier was created through an egalitarian and supportive system between its clubs. More than a model to be destroyed, it is one to be imitated. Those who say that they are going to be tamped down in Europe, calm down and know that the English have not won so much in the last decade…”.
In addition, he again attacked Madrid, Barça and Juventus, the three teams that remain in the attempt to create a Super League. “There are clubs that are managing recklessly. We base ourselves on sporting merit. There is no room for cartels in European football. Football does not belong to anyone, in reality it belongs to all of us. The general interest must be above the individual interest of three clubs, two financiers and their spokesperson”.
And he continued: “Those who promoted that project say they want to save football. The Super League has become a Little Red Hood character, a wolf disguised as a grandmother. Who are they kidding? To nobody. They are cartels above meritocracy and democracy. It is the money above the trophies. Domestic leagues must continue to be the cornerstones of soccer. We need everyone’s support to protect the model.”
Later, the UEFA president spoke at a press conference.
Negreira case. “We are concerned about all of football, no matter which club or which national team. I know that it is the number one song in Spain, but I am not going to comment nor can I comment on it today.
Premier Potential. “I don’t compare the Premier with the League. Obviously they are doing things well in the Premier, that is why the others must learn from it. But it is not a comparison with any league, nor with the Slovenian one if you want to use it as an example”.
Timeshare. “We have not decided anything on timeshare clubs. It can be discussed, but there is no solution yet. It’s too soon. What is clear is that the rules should be strict.
Morocco in the Iberian candidacy. “I already said that there would not be two UEFA World Cup bids, so we must consider that UEFA’s bid is this. Morocco is a neighbor, it is close. It fits perfectly with Spain and Portugal”.
Super League. “I want to repeat it: whoever wants to organize their own competitions is free to do so. But if he does, he won’t dispute ours. The media are giving more importance than they should to a project that has been dead for a long time”.
Russia. “My personal opinion is that until the war stops, it will be very difficult for us to change anything.”
