UEFA has definitively abandoned its legal battle with Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid, according to a statement issued by the European Football Association on Monday evening. UEFA wanted to punish the three clubs for their participation in the creation of the Super League, but were previously called back by the Madrid court.
UEFA’s statement reads that the proceedings started against Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid are annulled, as if the proceedings never existed. UEFA threatened to ban the three superpowers from European football for two years and to impose a fine, but already received bad news at the end of July: then the Madrid court ruled that the creation of the Super League by the clubs was not illegal.
Originally, the Super League would consist of twelve clubs, because Arsenal, AC Milan, Atlético Madrid, Chelsea, Internazionale, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur were also involved in its establishment. However, due to the enormous resistance from their own supporters and UEFA, the nine clubs quickly withdrew. They agreed with the football association to jointly deposit fifteen million euros in a fund that would benefit the development of youth football in Europe. UEFA has now decided not to collect that amount.
Barca, Juve and Real announced at the end of July that they were still working on a Super League. “We are delighted that from now on we will no longer be a victim of the threats from UEFA. Our aim is to further develop the Super League project in a constructive and collaborative manner, counting on the contribution of all stakeholders of the football: fans, players, coaches, clubs, national and international leagues and federations.”