According to A22 CEO Bernd Reichart, a new European Super League would be a competition with no permanent members and would be based on sporting performance.
A22 Sports Management is a firm that promotes a redesigned European league.
In 2021, the company supported a 12-club ESL proposal, which did not materialize due to protests.
“European football’s foundations are in danger of collapsing,” Reichart told the German newspaper Die Welt.
“It’s time to make a change. Football clubs bear the majority of the entrepreneurial risk.
“However, when critical decisions are at stake, they are all too often forced to watch helplessly as the sporting and financial foundations crumble around them.”
The original plans for the ESL in 2021 included 20 teams: 12 founding members, three unnamed clubs that were expected to join later, and five clubs that would have qualified annually based on domestic achievements.
Following widespread condemnation, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham withdrew from the project within 48 hours.
However, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus are still pushing for an ESL.
According to Reichart, the new ESL would include 60 to 80 teams, each of which would be guaranteed a minimum of 14 matches per season while continuing to compete in their respective domestic leagues.
Uefa and Fifa received significant support in their bid to prevent the formation of a European Super League in December.
In a report released by the European Court of Justice, its advocate general said the rules of football’s European and world governing bodies were “compatible with EU competition law”.
Uefa and Fifa were accused of violating competition law by threatening to sanction clubs and players who joined a breakaway league.
A 15-member Grand Chamber will make the final decision in the spring.
Despite the ruling, A22 has been engaged in “comprehensive dialogue with stakeholders across Europe on the future of club football”.
It has also developed ten principles for the new ESL, including broad-based and meritocratic competitions, as well as development and financing for women’s football.
“Our discussions have also demonstrated that clubs frequently find it impossible to speak out publicly against a system that uses the threat of sanctions to thwart opposition,” Reichart added.
“Our dialogue was open, honest, and constructive and resulted in clear ideas about what changes are needed and how they could be implemented.
“There is a lot to do, and we will keep talking.”
La Liga president Javier Tebas has been a vocal opponent of the ESL and has condemned the new proposals.
“The Super League is the wolf, who today disguises himself as a granny to deceive European football,” he wrote on Twitter.
“But his nose and teeth are enormous, four divisions in Europe? Of course, as in the 2019 reform, the first for them. Are the clubs in charge? Naturally, only the big ones.”
Uefa approved changes to the Champions League last year, increasing the number of teams in the group stage from 32 to 36 in the 2024-25 competition.
The new format will begin with a single league table that includes all teams.
Each will play eight group-stage games against various opponents, four at home and four away.
The top eight will advance to the knockout stage, while those ranked ninth to 24th will compete in a two-leg play-off to advance.
“Similar format changes will also be applied to the Europa League (eight matches in the league stage) and Europa Conference League (six matches in the league stage), and both will also include 36 teams in the league phase,” according to Uefa.
Source: BBC
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