Liverpool are the only Premier League club from the 'Big Six' yet to publicly distance themselves from European Super League relaunch after landmark court victory for breakaway attempt
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Liverpool are the only Premier League club from the 'Big Six' yet to publicly distance themselves from European Super League relaunch after a landmark court victory could boost the breakaway attempt.
Manchester United immediately rejected the proposals, as did Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid.
Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham reiterated their loyalty to UEFA competitions later in the day.
On Friday morning, Arsenal became the latest club to reject the new proposals and reaffirm their commitment to European football's governing body, leaving Liverpool the only club from the Big Six to do so.
An Arsenal statement read: 'Arsenal Football Club notes the judgement by the European Court of Justice on Thursday, 21 December 2023 and our position in relation to the European Super League has not changed.
'We will continue to play in UEFA competitions and continue to work with fellow European clubs and the European Club Association (ECA).'
Liverpool are understood to still be against the scheme after apologising to fans over their initial involvement.
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Manchester United, one of the Big Six to initially sign up to the £3billion scheme in 2021, came out in support of the status quo, joined by Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich.
United said: 'Our position has not changed. We remain fully committed to participation in Uefa competitions, and to positive cooperation with Uefa, the Premier League, and fellow clubs through the ECA on the continued development of the European game.'
It took some five hours for Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham to follow suit with similar statements.
Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid were among those to rule themselves out of the plan.
The European Court of Justice said UEFA had acted unlawfully in 2021 when they banned clubs from joining the new competition. A fresh plan was quickly announced by a group called A22, with Real Madrid and Barcelona happy to play ball. But new laws will stop any Premier League involvement.
Twelve teams, including England's Big Six — signed up in 2021 to the ESL, which was meant to rival the Champions League. Yet amid widespread fan outrage and protest, all of the Premier League sides withdrew from the project within days.
Following Thursday's ruling, plans for a three-division, 64-team competition — with promotion and relegation and no permanent member clubs — were announced by A22. Fans would be able to watch for free on a new digital streaming platform.
'The judgement issued today by the European Court of Justice does not change Chelsea FC's position,' the club said. 'We firmly believe that, by working with the Premier League, The FA, other European clubs through our strong relationship with UEFA and FIFA, we can, together, continue to develop the European game for the benefit of everyone.'
And the UK government were quick to point out that, as part of the creation of a new independent regulator, forthcoming legislation 'will stop clubs from joining any similar breakaway competitions in future'.
The new Football Governance Bill, along with the extreme reaction from supporters two years ago, are expected to be strong enough deterrents in the short term.
In the aftermath of the collapse a Premier League Owner's Charter was introduced which clubs agreed 'not to engage in the creation of new competition formats outside of the Premier League's rules'.
The ruling comes as a huge blow to FIFA and UEFA - run by Gianni Infantino (left) and Aleksander Ceferin (right) respectively
Following the ECJ's ruling, the Football Supporters Association said: 'There is no place for an ill-conceived breakaway super league. Supporters, players and clubs have already made clear they don't want a stitched-up competition - we all want to see the trigger pulled on the walking dead monstrosity that is the European Zombie League.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the development 'does not change anything'. 'Historically, we have been organising the best competitions in the world and this will also be the case in the future,' he added.
His UEFA counterpart, Aleksander Ceferin, added that 'football is not for sale'. 'I hope they know what they are doing but I am not so sure,' Ceferin said.
'We will not try to stop them. They can create whatever they want. I hope they start their top competition as soon as possible… with two clubs. Football is not for sale.'