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Super League Clubs Confirm The Format Of The New Competition

Super League Clubs Confirm The Format Of The New Competition

Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are involved in the potential Super League.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

Teams from the Premier League, Serie A and La Liga have confirmed their plans to have a breakaway Super League, following talks to formalise the idea.

The Premier League's 'big six,' Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, are amongst those trying to create the league.

As well as the six clubs from England, three Serie A sides, Inter, AC Milan and Juventus, and three La Liga teams, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Barcelona, are also involved in the plans.

Earlier on Sunday it was reported that the 12 sides had formalised plans, that had previously been discussed behind closed doors, and now they have made a statement.

"Twelve of Europe's leading football clubs have today come together to announce they have agreed to establish a new mid-week competition, the Super League, governed by its Founding Clubs," the clubs said.

"Three more clubs are expected to join as Founding Clubs before the inaugural season, which is expected to start as soon as possible."

The clubs confirmed the format of the new competition:

The idea of a Super League has been met with outrage by fans on social media previously, and it was the same on Sunday.

That teams were ready to make their announcement part way through the season has angered those in football as well.

On Sky Sports, pundits Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Micah Richards all took turns to vocalise their indignation at the idea.

UEFA, whose Champions League tournament is under threat by the 12 clubs from England, Italy and Spain, put out their own statement against the Super League.

"UEFA, the English Football Association and the Premier League, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and LaLiga, and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and Lega Serie A have learned that a few English, Spanish and Italian clubs may be planning to announce their creation of a closed, so-called Super League.

"If this were to happen, we wish to reiterate that we - UEFA, the English FA, RFEF, FIGC, the Premier League, La Liga, Lega Serie A, but also FIFA and all our member associations - 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.

"We will consider all measures available to us, at all levels, both judicial and sporting in order to prevent this happening. Football is based on open competitions and sporting merit; it cannot be any other way.

"As previously announced by FIFA and the six Federations, the clubs concerned will be banned from playing in any other competition at domestic, European or world level, and their players could be denied the opportunity to represent their national teams.

"We thank those clubs in other countries, especially the French and German clubs, who have refused to sign up to this. We call on all lovers of football, supporters and politicians, to join us in fighting against such a project if it were to be announced. This persistent self-interest of a few has been going on for too long. Enough is enough."

UEFA were set to announce changes to the Champions League on Monday, which would have seen an increase from 32 to 36 clubs, including four qualifying spots for clubs to qualify based on their UEFA coefficient.

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Topics: Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Football, Manchester United, Barcelona, Serie A, Atletico Madrid, UEFA, Premier League, AC Milan, Juventus, Arsenal, Champions League, Real Madrid, La Liga, Inter