When the European Super League was announced 32 months ago fans across the continent were in uproar. Widespread opposition in England went as far as then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Royal Family through Football Association president Prince William.
The renovated European Super League proposal aims to ensure competitive tension throughout the year. Unlike the previous proposal it is an open system featuring promotion and relegation. The proposal will have 64 participating clubs added into three leagues : star , gold and blue prior to a knockout stage.
The star league and the gold league will both consist of 16 clubs divided into two groups of eight. The blue league will have 32 clubs split into four groups of eight. The two teams who finish at the bottom of the star league will be replaced by the two teams that had topped the gold league. In the blue league 20 out of the 32 clubs will leave the competition altogether and be replaced by clubs depending on their domestic league performance. This system ensures that there is mobility within and across leagues. This article will delve into whether the new proposal is a good idea.
There will not be Champions League football
If the Super League gets relaunched then the Champions League will be abolished. This is far from ideal as some clubs like Real Madrid, Man United , Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Liverpool have rich history in the tournament. It is also unfortunate for clubs who have not had the chance the play in the current Champions League format. The new Super League has more group games which is not convenient as players are already playing too much football. 53% of players surveyed by FIFPro reported an injury or felt more likely to suffer an injury due to the congested calendar.
The new proposal wouldn’t have any underdog story
Girona were top of La Liga last week, Leverkusen are top of Bundesliga and Aston Villa are in the top three .Villa look strong enough to take this title fight up till the end of the season. In fact, had their very recent draw against Bournemouth ended as a Villa win, Aston Villa would be top of the table. Girona rise is remarkable given that two seasons ago they were in the Segunda division and last campaign they finished tenth. There would not be a underdog story like this in the European Super League as it is unlikely that they would come against the best team in Europe.
The Super League will provide more money
The new proposal will have more games which will bring in more revenue for clubs involved in the tournament. Clubs i.e., Barcelona will get £1 billion for joining the tournament. This is beneficial as some clubs across the continent have been struggling financially since the COVID pandemic. Teams involved in the tournament will be able to sign better players since they would have the finances.
It can provide competition for the Premier League
The English Premier League is widely recognised as the best league in Europe. This is because it is the most competitive and generates most revenue out of Europe’s top five leagues. Some English football fans view the Premier League as the Super League as the teams in that league spend the most money.