European Super League one year on: 48 hours that rocked football and strengthened big boys

The Premier League game between Arsenal and Fulham at the Emirates on April 18, 2021 should’ve been an ordinary fixture between two London clubs.

It was anything but… and not because of Eddie Nketiah’s 97th-minute equaliser.

No one really cared about the 1-1 result, as a much bigger story was just emerging from the shadows – a tale that would leave fans angry and confused. The dreaded Super League was born.

Here, Mirror Football remembers one of the most dramatic 48 hours in the history of European football and its impact – including plans to revamp the Champions League.

Rumours

Just seconds after 1pm on that infamous Sunday, The Times published an article claiming 12 top European sides were planning to break away from UEFA and form a “super league”.

These 12 teams were Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea, Liverpool, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus.

Founding members of the new competition would be guaranteed entry each season – no matter how poor their domestic form was – allowing them to benefit from astronomical amounts of cash. Another three teams were expected to become permanent members in due course, while a further five would qualify via their domestic leagues.

The new competition was set to replace the Champions League as Europe’s premier club event.

It also emulated the US model, where clubs are franchises and the ever-present threat of relegation is abolished. The English football pyramid, which had existed for more than a century and was built from the grassroots up, was on the verge of becoming irrelevant.

This wasn’t completely out of the blue, however.

The threat of a “super league” had existed for years, as the big clubs believed UEFA needed them more than they needed the governing body. After all, it was these top European sides that boasted the best players, the best brands and the most fans.

UEFA were already buckling under the pressure. Hours before the “super league” rumours broke, controversial plans for a revamped Champions League emerged. It would feature 36 teams rather than 32, with two clubs receiving entry based on their historical performance. It was a safety net for those who don’t qualify – again eliminating competition.

This wasn’t enough for the big clubs, however, who were expected to be backed by JP Morgan’s £5billion investment – and that was before sponsorship and television rights. UEFA simply could not compete the figures being thrown around the press.

Reaction

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As the afternoon wore on, it became clear this was more than just a rumour. The Premier League, UEFA and even the UK government issued statements condemning the proposals.

“If this were to happen, we wish to reiterate that we… will remain united in our efforts to stop this cynical project, a project that is founded on the self-interest of a few clubs at a time when society needs solidarity more than ever,” raged UEFA.

The Premier League added: “A European Super League will undermine the appeal of the whole game and have a deeply damaging impact on the immediate and future prospects of the Premier League and its member clubs, and all those in football who rely on our funding and solidarity to prosper.”

While Oliver Dowden, the then culture secretary, said: “We have a football pyramid where funds from the globally successful Premier League flow down the leagues and into local communities. I would be bitterly disappointed to see any action that destroys that.”

The response was quick and damning. Fans were starting to realise an announcement was imminent.

“The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust (CST) continues to wholeheartedly oppose the creation of a breakaway competition to the Champions League,” announced one group. A rival organisation added: “The board of Tottenham’s Supporters Trust is deeply concerned by rapidly escalating reports linking Tottenham with a breakaway European Super League. A concept driven by self interest as the expense of the values of the game we hold so dear.”

Supporters were furious – and so was Gary Neville. After Man Utd’s 3-1 win against Burnley, the former England international vented his anger on live television. It became on the defining moments of the saga, reassuring fans they were right to be unhappy.

“The reaction to it is that it’s been damned and rightly so,” said Neville. “I’m a Manchester United fan and have been for 40 years of my life but I’m disgusted, absolutely disgusted… they’re breaking into a league without competition? That they can’t be relegated from?

“It’s an absolute disgrace and we have to wrestle back the power in this country from the clubs at the top of this league. That includes my club… it’s pure greed.

“They’re imposters, the owners of these clubs, the owners of Liverpool, the owners of Manchester City, the owners of Chelsea, they have nothing to do with football in this country… “give the title to Burnley. Let Fulham stay up and relegate United, Liverpool and Arsenal.”

And that was just a snippet of Neville’s rant. It was obvious many opposed the idea of a “super league” – yet those involved powered on.

Announcement

At 11pm on Sunday evening, the Super League was officially announced.

Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli resigned from UEFA’s Executive Committee and as chair of the European Club Association. The architects of the new competition were turning their backs on the existing structure. It was a sobering and surreal moment in the game’s history.

“By bringing together the best clubs and best players in the world, the Super League will deliver excitement and drama never before seen in football,” promised the competition’s official website – which still exists.

And they were prepared for the backlash. The Super League filed pre-emptive court motions to protect players from being banned by UEFA and FIFA, allowing them to continue playing in competitions like the World Cup.

Yet that didn’t appease footballers, most of whom dream of winning the Champions League. Ander Herrera and Mesut Ozil were among the first to tweet their opposition of the Super League – and they certainly weren’t the last.

The following day after Leeds’ game against Liverpool at Elland Road – which was picketed by angry supporters from both clubs – Patrick Bamford, James Milner and Jurgen Klopp all condemned the proposals. It was hard to find anyone in favour of the Super League.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez tried to appease supporters, telling them the competition would “save football”. In reality, it would save his club from a growing pile of debt.

The Covid-19 pandemic had lumbered the likes of Real and Barcelona with significant financial woes. The Super League was a chance for them to boost their finances and compete with English clubs – who were dominating in Europe – again.

And the opportunity for a power grab was there. Fans hadn’t been in stadiums for over a year and many clubs across the continent were feeling the strain. The Super League promised “solidarity payments in excess of £10bn” to those outside of the competition. Those not invited were seen as vulnerable, there for the taking. It was a cynical act.

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After more than a day of condemnation, some of the 12 founding members were starting to get a little bit anxious – particularly the likes of Man City and Chelsea.

Although they were founder members, their chiefs were not sitting at the top of the Super League’s executive board. Perez was the president, while Man Utd’s Joel Glazer, Arsenal’s Stan Kroenke and Liverpool’s John Henry – three owners of American sporting organisations where the franchise system prospers – were vice-presidents.

Man City and Chelsea didn’t need the Super League like the others did. At the time, they both had extremely wealthy owners and were on course to battle it out in the Champions League final. When asked, they couldn’t say no to joining the new competition and avoid being left behind. Yet they their wealth also gave them the opportunity to jump ship as it began to sink.

UEFA sensed this anxiety. “Gentleman you made a huge mistake… there is still time to change your mind,” the governing body’s president Aleksander Ceferin told their general congress on Tuesday morning.

Pressure was increasing on the “Dirty Dozen” – as they were now known. UK prime minister Boris Johnson was threatening to introduce legislative measures to stop the new competition after a meeting with Premier League CEO Richard Masters, while Amazon confirmed they wouldn’t be the broadcaster.

Players and managers were also continuing to rebel against their employers. “It’s not football if you cannot lose,” said Pep Guardiola, while Jordan Henderson had arranged an emergency meeting of the Premier League’s captains. “We don’t like it, we don’t want it to happen,” later tweeted the Liverpool skipper.

Then, at around 6pm, a protest started at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea were due to be playing Brighton, but their team bus couldn’t get into the ground due to hundreds of fans blocking the entrance. Blues legend Petr Cech tried to appease with supporters – yet they didn’t budge.

It seemed unlikely the game would go ahead considering the protest… and then it happened. At 6:45pm, the BBC claimed Chelsea were dropping out. It was the beginning of the end. Later that evening, all six English teams had withdrawn with their owners begging fans for forgiveness.

Another four teams left the following morning, as Agnelli confirmed the project couldn’t go ahead. Just Barcelona and Real were left remaining. The Super League was no more.

Legacy

The Super League ended in spectacular circumstances, yet its basic premise – for the biggest clubs to financially dominate European football – remains largely unscathed.

The six English clubs were fined just £3.6million each for their involvement, a drop in the ocean compared to calls for them to be relegated from the Premier League. Any future attempts to join a “super league” would come with a 30-point deduction – yet whether that would actually be imposed is another matter.

And some claim the 12 clubs achieved their aim, as UEFA are pushing on with their plans to hand two Champions League spots to clubs based on their coefficient ranking.

If proposal was in place for next season, Man Utd and Roma would be guaranteed their spot in Europe’s biggest competition – devaluing the Premier League’s top four race. Once the 36-team tournament is established, these 12 clubs are unlikely to miss out on Champions League football again.

The Super League was a 48-hour saga that brought shame on to the game, yet it’s doubtful those involved will care. Their power grab has strengthened their position among Europe’s elite and given them the confidence to try again if they so wish.

For many fans, remembering the Super League is hard. But thinking about the very real possibility of it being revived in some way, shape or form is much more exhausting.