The European Super League was boldly announced on Sunday, with Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Milan, Arsenal, Chelsea, Inter, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United the founding members. Florentino Perez, recently re-elected president of Madrid, was slated as being in line to serve as the first president.
The idea came under serious threat on Tuesday evening. Chelsea supporters gathered outside of Stamford Bridge in protest at the project, while City confirmed they’d enacted the process of leaving the Super League, shortly followed by celebratory tweets from Raheem Sterling and Aymeric Laporte.
Florentino Perez is still in the #SuperLeague meeting tonight to decide about the future of the league. The English clubs are key to decide what's gonna happen – after Man City official statement to leave the competition. 🚨
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 20, 2021
United confirmed that the club’s chairman, Ed Woodward, would leave the club at the end of 2021, while there was even rumours, refuted, that Andrea Agnelli had offered his resignation to Juventus and Florentino was beginning to come under serious pressure. Liverpool players, led by Jordan Henderson, posted a message on social media openly rebelling against the project.
Announcement coming shortly from other four Prem clubs. They will all follow #mcfc & #cfc in withdrawing from #SuperLeague. More on @SkySportsNews #thfc #mufc #lfc #afc
— Paul Gilmour (@skysportspaulg) April 20, 2021
Atletico were thought to have pulled out earlier in the evening, only for the claim to be refuted, while reports indicated that Joan Laporta was waiting for Barcelona’s socios to ratify their entry into the Super League before confirming it. El Partidazo de Cope claimed both Atletico and Barcelona were still committed to the project after a meeting between the 12 founding clubs, with only City out so far. Chelsea were said to be wavering.
Fabrizio Romano followed that up with a report that Florentino was running late for an interview on Spanish radio as he was locked in discussions with the ten other clubs still remaining in the Super League. The English clubs, Romano claimed, are the key to what’s going to happen after City’s withdrawal, and this was confirmed shortly after by Paul Gilmour, who claimed that an announcement was imminent that all six Premier League clubs would be leaving the Super League this evening.
