Is a European Super League really just around the corner?
According to Barcelona President Sandro Rosell it will definitely be raised again when the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the European Club Association and UEFA, which will expire in 2014. According to Mr. Rosell talking at the Aspire4Sport conference in Doha, no agreement has been made to extend this agreement.
“If UEFA does not accept, in the worst case scenario, we will go away from UEFA,” he said.
The timing of Mr. Rosell’s comments is certainly interesting. They come at a time when La Liga is rumoured to be in huge difficulty and becoming more of a two horse race than the Scottish Premier League.
In 2009/10 Real Madrid broke a points record in a season with 99 points but failed to win the league. Last season they also topped 90 points but failed to win the league. They scored 102 goals, and believe it or not there were five teams in La Liga who scored fewer goals than Cristiano Ronaldo; he scored one less than three other teams. Jus to give this feeling credence, Barcelona’s second most common result under coach Pep Guardiola is 5-0, amazingly more common that 1-0 and 2-1 which are the most repeated result sin the game!
Last season Valencia finished third in La Liga 21 points behind Real Madrid. Valencia was actually closer to relegation than they were to the Championship! By comparison in Scotland third placed Hearts finished 30 points behind Champions Rangers.
He has gone on to say that the English Premier League needs to be cut by a fifth, as it is the preferred option that teams in the European Champions League play games at weekends rather than in midweek.
The European Champions League are in truth not a ‘Champions’ league, as teams who come below first in each league are already admitted, so is it not already a Super League; with the strong clubs in floundering leagues desperate to protect their territory and lengthen the gap between them and the teams below them?
The proposed Super League could be the death knell for many European leagues, as many of their big name clubs would leave the tradition that established them for the big bucks.
The question is will the fans be as interested in games against foreign opposition as they are against traditional local rivals? The good news is though that the smaller nations competing in the Champions league such as Bangor City and FC Basel have as much say, as the likes of Barcelona and Rangers and it could be these nations who need such a competition who prevent the Super League being realized.
There are still three years to go until this comes down to a vote, but expect the debate to gain momentum in the next two years.
Well said Paul, Interesting to see the Bundesliga and the EPL are not interested, as their leagues are doing well in terms of fans and TV viewers.
Dear Sandro Rosell
have a good look around all yourself amigo – Europe is crumbling before our very own own eyes and you’re dreaming of a super league.