Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Juventus on Wednesday issued a fresh statement over their involvement in the breakaway European Super League (ESL) and these three clubs also hit out at UEFA for continuously criticising their plans.
"FC Barcelona, Juventus FC and Real Madrid CF wish to express their absolute rejection of the insistent coercion that UEFA has been maintaining towards three of the most relevant institutions in the history of football. This alarming attitude constitutes a flagrant breach of the decision of the courts of justice, which have already made a clear statement warning UEFA to refrain from taking any action that could penalise the founding clubs of the Super League while the legal proceedings are ongoing," the three clubs said in a joint statement.
"Therefore, the opening of disciplinary proceedings by UEFA is incomprehensible and is a direct attack against the rule of law that we, the citizens of the European Union, have democratically built up, while constituting a lack of respect toward the authority of the courts of justice themselves," they added.
The three clubs also said that ESL has been thought of in order to improve the European football and the clubs also said that they have been in constant dialogue with UEFA.
"From the beginning, the Super League has been promoted with the aim of improving the situation of European football, through permanent dialogue with UEFA and with the objective to increase the interest in the sport and to offer fans the best possible show. This objective has to be achieved in a framework of sustainability and solidarity, especially in a precarious economic situation such as the one many clubs in Europe are currently experiencing," the statement said.
"Instead of exploring ways of modernizing football through open dialogue, UEFA expects us to withdraw the ongoing court proceedings that question their monopoly over European football. Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid, all of them more than a century old, will not accept any form of coercion or intolerable pressure, while they remain strong in their willingness to debate, respectfully and through dialogue, the urgent solutions that football currently needs. Either we reform football or we will have to watch its inevitable downfall," it added.
Earlier, UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus for their involvement in the ESL. UEFA had stated that it intends to punish the three clubs for still choosing to be a part of the European Super League.
"Following an investigation conducted by UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors in connection with the so-called 'Super League' project, disciplinary proceedings have been opened against Real Madrid CF, FC Barcelona and Juventus FC for a potential violation of UEFA's legal framework," the UEFA said in an official statement, as reported by Goal.com.
Earlier, Gabriele Gravina, President of the Italian Football Association (FIGC) had said that Juventus will be banned from Serie A next season if they still choose to remain a part of the breakaway and rebel ESL.
"The rules are clear. If Juventus is still part of the Super League when it enters next season, it can't participate in Serie A," Gabriele Gravina told Radio Kiss Kiss, as reported by Goal.com.
"I would be sorry for the fans but rules are rules and they apply to everyone. I hope this holdout ends soon," he added.
The announcement to form a breakaway ESL made by 12 founding clubs including Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur, was met with widespread criticism.
As a result, all the six Premier League clubs, involved in the proposed ESL, withdrew from the competition.
( With inputs from ANI )
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