Florentino Perez On The European Super League: If We Rely Only On The Champions League Like Now, We Could Die

Florentino Perez (Twitter @gutileyenda)

JAKARTA - Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has stated that Real Madrid and other European Super League participating clubs will not dump the Champions League this season because they have participated in the controversial league plan. On the other hand, he scoffs at the current European competition which he calls only attractive since the quarter-finals and clubs will die if there are no major reforms.

Perez, one of the European Super League boosters and later chairman, was the first senior European Super League executive to speak to the public since the league was announced on Sunday.

"The Champions League has been attractive since the quarter-finals, that's all," he said in the El Chiringuito talk show in Spain, as quoted by the ESPN website. "We played against small teams that were not attractive. The young people chose to entertain themselves with other things. But if we continue to do it throughout the season, five games every Tuesday, five games every Wednesday, then it is unstoppable."

"What brings that money is 15 clubs who play every other week. It's the biggest show in the world, nothing like that," he continued. "Real Madrid against Manchester (United) or Barcelona against Milan is more interesting than Manchester (United) against clubs. small."

"What does this world demand? We have supporters in Singapore, in China, all over the world, you can see it on social media, the followers they have. That's what brings money."

Twelve clubs consisting of AC Milan, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur, join ESL or the European Super League as founding members.

The controversial competition aimed at replacing UEFA's Champions League which announced its own reforms Monday, stated that three more clubs would join, while five others were included based on their performance in their respective leagues.

"Right now, if we only rely on the Champions League like now, we could die," said Perez while emphasizing the impact of the corona virus pandemic. "The audience is decreasing, the money is decreasing. We are all going to die, the big clubs, the middle clubs, the small clubs. They said the new format of the Champions League will appear in 2024, we were dead by then."

Perez was the first chairman of the European Super League, while Andrea Agnelli of Juventus and Joel Glazer of Manchester United were appointed co-chairs.

The project was heavily criticized by football governing bodies, supporters and other big clubs who were not involved.

La Liga calls ESL an egotistical proposal designed to further enrich an already rich club. Meanwhile, Sevilla, who are currently in fourth place in the La Liga standings behind three ESL supporters, namely Atletico, Real and Barca, said they had completely rejected a tournament based solely on economic parameters.

Perez, 74, who was re-elected as Real Madrid president for a new four-year term earlier this month also rejected suggestions his club would leave the Champions League this season.

Madrid will face Chelsea in the semi-final first leg on Tuesday 27 April before the second leg Wednesday 5 May.

"They are not going to knock Madrid out of the Champions League, for sure," said Perez. "Not Madrid or (Manchester) City or anyone. I am absolutely sure. Or also La Liga."

Jesper Moller, a member of the UEFA executive committee from Denmark, said Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City could be excluded from the competition.

Perez also emphasized that the players can rest easy because they will not be banned from participating in the international tournaments organized by UEFA and FIFA.