Juventus communicates to Madrid and Barça that it is leaving the Super League under pressure from UEFA
The Super League faces a decisive month of June for its survival. Those responsible for the project are still awaiting the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in their case against UEFA, a decision that could reach the end of the month or be delayed until September due to the summer break. Meanwhile, the new competition continues to receive stab wounds from various sides. The last one, from Juventus, which “under pressure” by the Italian Justice and by UEFA, as denounced by the Super League, has sent two letters to Real Madrid and Barcelona to start conversations about the feasibility and risks of participating in the project.. That is, to abandon it.
The 12 teams that were born with the Super League on April 18, 2021 are still within the competition because the compensation for leaving it is even higher, in some cases, than the club's own value, but many decided to say goodbye publicly months ago. The English Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham stepped aside under pressure from their fans, Atlético de Madrid, the other Spanish club, also preferred to leave, like Milan and Inter, leaving Real alone. Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus. The three have remained firm during all these months in their fight against the national leagues and UEFA, leading to the trial that will lead to the sentence in a few weeks.
But while the Court reflects, Juventus, “under pressure”, sources close to the Super League denounce in this newspaper, have raised the possibility of leaving the project, according to Relevo and EL MUNDO can confirm. The Italian team was sanctioned in January by Serie A with the loss of 15 points for the Plusvalías Case and its Board of Directors resigned en bloc, including Andrea Agnelli, one of Florentino Pérez's main partners.
Juventus appealed the decision and reduced the punishment to 10 points, maintaining the sanctions against its directors Agnelli, Fabio Paratici, Federico Cherubini and Maurizio Arrivabene. Those 10 points have left him out of the Champions League next season and have sent him to seventh place, since it gives access to the modest Conference League. The Italian team continues to negotiate the reduction of the sanction to be able to play in the Champions League or, failing that, the Europa League, competitions that bring them more money and visibility at a very delicate economic moment, but the options are scarce, even less if they remain as one of the three spokespersons for the Super League.
That is why they have decided to take a step towards UEFA and abandon the leading position they had until now along with Madrid and Barça.. The Catalan team, still pending possible sanctions from UEFA for the Negreira Case, could be forced to make a similar decision and distance itself from the project before being punished by Ceferin's organization.
Sources close to the Super League cry out in conversation with this newspaper against “the pressure and threats” towards Juventus “for participating in the Super League”, they believe the “abusive behavior” of those responsible for the European competitions is “unacceptable”, they announce legal actions against them and hope that the CJEU ruling will be favorable for them to “abandon an archaism more typical of feudal regimes.”
The reality is that the project is hurt and that the rain of statements between the two trenches of the case does not bode well for the Super League. The organization hopes that the CJUE will allow them to create a competition and from there go back to negotiating with the clubs, but the feelings are not entirely good, not even in Valdebebas. If the ruling favors UEFA, some believe that Ceferin will try to penalize Madrid and Barça however he can as a revenge after a few chaotic months.