The sanctions for the nine clubs to have withdrawn the failed European Super League, including Liverpool, have been announced, as reported by AP.
As part of a reintegration process, UEFA have commanded each side to make monetary donations of €15m for the benefit of grassroots football and will accept the hanging threat of a €100m fine, if any of the teams were to attempt a similar coup in future, among other things.
The key details of the settlement reached with UEFA by Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham and Atletico Madrid, AC Milan and Inter Milan.
Juventus, Barcelona & Real Madrid not agreed so the cases now referred to UEFA disciplinary bodies pic.twitter.com/sghV6ZgnLO
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) May 7, 2021
When discussing the measures, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said, “The measures announced are significant, but none of the financial penalties will be retained by UEFA.
“They will all be reinvested into youth and grassroots football in local communities across Europe, including the UK.
“These clubs recognised their mistakes quickly and have taken action to demonstrate their contrition and future commitment to European football.
“The same cannot be said for the clubs that remain involved in the so-called ‘Super League,’ and UEFA will deal with those clubs subsequently.”
As far as punishments go, it’s nothing particularly excessive, though one might imagine that UEFA’s €100m threat will go some way in preventing the creation of another breakaway league, at the very least in the near future.
Despite the fact that we have arrived at the right decision from the Premier League ‘big six’, however, we still can’t ignore the fact that things fundamentally aren’t that much better with the current European footballing body.
The power balance remains very much top-heavy for one, with little consideration given to the lower echelons of the game or even the staff of sides involved in UEFA’s competitions – as has been proven by the latest reforms suggested.
It’s okay to be delighted that the Super League never truly materialised but we should by no means accept our current circumstances with UEFA as being anywhere near close to perfect.