Aleksander Ceferin, UEFA president, has warned that players who participate in the newly-formed European Super League (ESL) by top clubs will be banned from domestic competitions and the World Cup.
Ceferin said the players would be banned from all national team engagements.
It was revealed on Monday that 12 European clubs comprising Real Madrid, AC Milan, Juventus, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United, Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, Manchester City and Chelsea had agreed to establish a “new midweek competition” with teams continuing to “compete in their respective national leagues”.
The ESL said the inaugural season will “commence as soon as practicable” and “anticipate that a further three clubs” would join the breakaway.
Top officials of the European clubs working with UEFA had also resigned from their respective positions ahead of the announcement.
Ceferin, while angrily reacting to the development, described the move as “spitting in the face of football fans”.
He also described the founding members of the Super League as “snakes and liars”.
“The players that will play in the Super League will be banned from playing in the World Cup and Euros. They will not be allowed play for their national teams,” he said.
“My opinion is that, as soon as possible, the players have to be banned from all our competitions.”
“I cannot stress more strongly how everyone is united against these disgraceful, self-serving proposals, fuelled by greed above all else.”
However, German sides, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and RP Leipzig, have rejected the chance to join the ESL.
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