Despite court ruling, Super League receives setback as top clubs remain ‘committed’ to UEFA

The European Super League received a massive boost from the European Court of Justice on Thursday after it blocked UEFA, FIFA from preventing the formation of a breakaway competition.

But since then, top European clubs have released press releases, where they have stated that they are against the ESL. Meanwhile, even the La Liga and Ligue 1 released statements against the Super League, alongwith the British Government too.

The only members of the ESL are Real Madrid and Barcelona, and both clubs have given it their support.

In a statement, Manchester United said that they were against the breakaway league and were 'committed' to UEFA. "Our position has not changed. We remain fully committed to participation in UEFA competitions, and to positive cooperation with UEFA, the Premier League, and fellow clubs through the ECA on the continued development of the European game," said the Premier League club.

Meanwhile, even Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have stated that they are against Florentino Perez' ESL. In a statement, Dortmund's Chairman of the Board Hans-Joachim Watzke said, "Borussia Dortmund will examine the ECJ's judgment in detail as soon as the full grounds for the ruling are made available to us. However, we are already convinced that conclusions to be drawn from the ECJ's ruling do not correspond to those that are currently circulating in the media. In its press release, the ECJ made it clear, among other things, that the decision does not mean that a competition such as the Super League must necessarily be allowed. For Borussia Dortmund, one thing holds true entirely independently of the discussions surrounding the verdict: we are not available for a Super League."

Meanwhile, La Liga giants Atletico Madrid decided to not join fellow clubs Barcelona and Real Madrid, and denied any association with ESL. In a statement, the club said, "The resolution regarding the framework for prior authorization of other competitions refers to outdated UEFA statutes that were already amended in June 2022."

"The European Club Association (ECA) and UEFA have established a partnership that renders the consideration of UEFA as a monopoly meaningless. Through agreements within this joint venture, clubs decide 50% on the sale of sponsorship and television rights, revenue distribution, and competition formats.

"The European football community does not support the European Super League. Germany, France, England, Italy, Spain (except for Real Madrid and Barcelona), etc. oppose the Super League. We advocate for protecting the broader European football family, preserving domestic leagues, and securing qualification for European competitions through on-field performance each season," the statement further added.

Meanwhile, the UK Government won't allow Premier League clubs to join the ESL. Speaking to the Independent, a spokesperson for the British Government said, "The attempt to create a breakaway competition was a defining moment in English football and was universally condemned by fans, clubs and the Government."

"We took decisive action at the time by triggering the fan-led review of football governance, which called for the creation of a new independent regulator for English football. We will shortly be bringing forward legislation that makes this a reality, and will stop clubs from joining any similar breakaway competitions in the future," the spokesperson added.