Scottish football has reacted with scepticism to the attempted relaunch of a breakaway European Super League.
Record Sport understands Celtic and Rangers would be invited into the new look set-up which is being driven by Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus. And there could be scope for more SPFL top flight clubs to be included in the multi-league format - dubbed the European Zombie League by fuming fan groups – which would include up to 80 clubs from across the continent.
The radical proposal was announced in Germany by A22 Sports Management - the firm which hopes to break UEFA’s stranglehold on the European game. But a wide range of football authorities were quick to dismiss the blue-print for change with the SPFL issuing a statement in which they appeared to cast serious doubt over whether or not the idea can realistically expect to get off the ground. Record Sport also understands that the SFA were equally bemused and surprised by the latest round of manoeuvring. A controversial first attempt at creating a breakaway league collapsed within 48 hours after it prompted a furious backlash from supporters two years ago.
That closed-door model infuriated fans and led to huge protests at clubs like Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United. But Real Madrid, Barca and Juve are determined to engineer change in order for their clubs to be better able to compete financially with the almighty muscle of England’s Premier League.
In the coming months, UEFA are expected to win a court battle challenging its monopoly of the game. And SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster believes a victory for European football’s governing body will effectively kill this latest incarnation stone dead.
A spokesman for the SPFL said: “We have seen today’s statement from A22 Sports Management, which is seeking to replace UEFA’s Champions League with a new European Super League. Our understanding is that the Court of Justice of the European Union will be ruling on UEFA’s decision later this year and we await the outcome of that case with interest.”
Both halves of the Old Firm will be monitoring the situation with interest as any shake-up of the European game could bring them a cash jackpot.
But it’s not clear if either of the Glasgow giants have been involved in the preliminary discussions - with both keen to keep some distance between themselves and the latest proposal.
Celtic chairman Peter Lawwell is a board member of the European Club Association who were quick to ridicule announcement. It released a stinging statement afternoon which read: “ECA notes the latest dispatch from A22’s alternative reality.
“However, in the real world, this rehashed idea has already been proposed, discussed and comprehensively rejected by all stakeholders in 2019. This is just another deliberately distorted and misleading attempt to de-stabilise the constructive work currently taking place between football’s real stakeholders to move things forward in the overall best interests of the European club game.
“As the sole organisation recognised by FIFA and UEFA representing clubs at European and international level, and the only body through which clubs have genuine representation in their decision-making, ECA reiterates its long-standing opposition to the European Super League and any breakaway project.”
The Football Supporters’ Association chief executive Kevin Miles likened the European Super League to a twitching corpse.
He said: “The walking corpse that is the European Super League twitches again with all the self-awareness one associates with a zombie. Their newest idea is to have an ‘open competition’ rather than the closed shop they originally proposed that led to huge fan protests. Of course an open competition for Europe’s top clubs already exists - it’s called the Champions League.
“They say ‘dialogue with fans and independent fan groups is essential’ yet the European Zombie League marches on - wilfully ignorant to the contempt supporters across the continent have for it.”
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