Premier League clubs have entered private talks with A22, the sports company behind the attempts to kickstart the European Super League.
Talks with Premier League clubs underway
Bernd Reichart, CEO of A22 Sports Management, announced that discussions have begun with the ‘big six’ Premier League clubs concerning the Super League project.
Reichart revealed that talks started after the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling on December 21, 2023, which declared that UEFA had broken EU law by blocking the formation of the ESL. This was a significant boost for A22, who have since taken steps to push forward the revival of the Super League.
#ECJ: The #FIFA and #UEFA rules on prior approval of interclub #football competitions, such as the Super League, are contrary to #EUlaw #EuropeanSuperleague 👉 https://t.co/ATb3CgbPxg pic.twitter.com/XCnLzwIKWb
— EU Court of Justice (@EUCourtPress) December 21, 2023
Reichart told the PA news agency: “Everyone is trying to get a sense of what the ruling could mean, it's the professional obligation of clubs to know what this change in club governance in Europe could mean for them.
“It's a great opportunity, why shouldn't everybody have a look at it neutrally and decide what's best for their clubs, their members and their fans? We are aware that clubs all over Europe are currently involved in that process and we try to assist them and help them.”
“This is not an initiative which tries to divide the football community into two parts” – Reichart defends Super League
Premier League clubs have publicly declared their support for UEFA and denounced the Super League plans, but have privately held fresh talks with A22, according to Reichart.
He said: “There's still a situation where (clubs) hate getting calls from the political establishment every time they stick their head out of the window.
“We haven't put out a deadline, we haven't said ‘this ship is sailing now' and we haven't invited people to come out with declarations because we don't want (other clubs) to then get calls saying ‘now you have to counter that declaration which came out of your domestic league.
“This is not an initiative which tries to divide the football community into two parts. I think it's absolutely fair and good for us to talk with those clubs off the record, not out in the daylight, so that they are not pressured, not co-opted, so that they can actually contribute and makeup their mind.
By joining the #EuropeanSuperLeague, clubs can look forward to greater financial stability and the ability to make long-term commitments to player and infrastructure expenditures. #BetterForFootball Find out more: https://t.co/ydAg1Mp86C
— A22 Sports (@A22Sports) March 11, 2024
“In the UK you still have a lot of misconceptions that have to be challenged and we have to explain ourselves better.
“But even the concept of breaking away, or inviting clubs to leave the Premier League, that was never the intention of this initiative and it never will be.”