Gary Neville was one of the most outspoken pundits when it came to the initial European Super League plans which fell flat on their face last year.
There were plans for a breakaway competition involving a dozen prominent clubs from England, Spain and Italy but they folded amid a furious backlash from fans. Manchester United were caught in the middle of that mess, which came as not only embarrassment to fans but a slap in the face as it was done behind everyone’s back.
According to the Telegraph, Juventus chief Andrea Agnelli is set to announce that he is prepared to fight UEFA over the existence of the breakaway league. Real Madrid and Barcelona are said to be in agreement with Juventus and will take a legal case to the European Court of Justice.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin accused club owners of trying to resurrect the ESL and took aim at Agnelli. He was speaking to the Financial Times Business of Football Summit in London and the Juventus chief was sat in the first row, as per MailOnline.
Ceferin said: “I have to say that those speaking about the Super League are not speaking about football. I am sick and tired of this non-football project.
“First, they launched their nonsense of the idea in the middle of a pandemic. Now, we read articles that they are planning to launch ajother idea in the middle of a war.
“Do I have to speak more about these people? They obviously live in a parallel world.
“We are helping in a terrible situation, they are working on a project like that. They can pay whoever they want to write ‘this is a nice project, they are full of solidarity, there will be charity to small ones.’
“This is nonsense and everyone knows it. One of them, after it, called me and apologised – but then they go again. For them, the fans are customers. For us, the fans are fans.”
When he addressed Agnelli directly, Ceferin added: “They criticised UEFA and the ECA, one of them was chairman of the ECA.
“I have quotes from where he was praising the system a week before they launched the Super League.”
Former United captain Gary Neville took to social media on Thursday morning, claiming that a trio of major European clubs, who still back the idea, are doing their utmost to resurrect the ESL.
Neville said: “The ESL is back on the table. Real, Barca and Juve are pushing. It’s critical we accelerate the Fan Led Review recommendations through Parliament with Legislation to protect English football and allow ant new proposals to be viewed with independence.”
The ESL is back on the table. Real , Barca and Juve are pushing. It’s critical we accelerate the Fan Led Review recommendations through Parliament with Legislation to protect English football and allow any new proposals to be viewed with independence.
— Gary Neville (@GNev2) March 3, 2022
It is understood that new plans will see an idea stripped from the initial plans that meant 15 of the founder clubs were guaranteed to appear in the competition without risk of being relegated. That wasn’t the only flaw, but it was seen as one of the most unpopular aspects of the European Super League.
In April 2021, Joel Glazer said the club “apologise unreservedly for the unrest” caused by the proposed ESL, as per BBC Sport, so it will be intriguing to see if the greedy Glazer family change their stance with new plans for the breakaway league being discussed.
I have no doubt in my mind that they will jump to wherever the money falls.
