La Liga president 'bets 100 dinners' that European Super League will fail despite court ruling
- New European Super League plans revealed earlier this week
- Court ruled UEFA and FIFA unlawful in attempts to ban clubs from entering breakaway competitions
- Barcelona and Real Madrid strongest advocates for Super League
By Sean Walsh
La Liga president Javier Tebas has revealed his confidence that the European Super League still won't come to fruition despite fresh plans to revive it.
The European Court of Justice ruled earlier this week that UEFA and FIFA's attempts to block clubs from joining breakaway competitions were unlawful, and though this does not necessarily mean the Super League would receive approval, new proposals have been put forward by organisers A22 to gain momentum and push it through.
Barcelona and Real Madrid are the headline clubs who are still supportive of the Super League, but outspoken La Liga chief Tebas has hit back at these plans, notably taking aim at a promise for all matches to be broadcast for free.
"The miracle of the loaves and fishes was done by Jesus Christ, not by Bernd Reichart [CEO of A22]. There will be no Super League in the short, medium or long term," Tebas recently told reporters.
"Legally, it's not going to be possible. It's economically unsustainable. Free football is impossible, it would be an economic failure. You can't fool people by saying that football is going to be free. I bet 100 dinners that we will not see it in the coming years. And a thousand dinners that it won't be free."
Tebas' comments come after Barca and Madrid released statements reaffirming their commitment to join the Super League.
Barcelona's statement said: "As one of the clubs driving the Super League project, FC Barcelona feels that the sentence paves the way for a new elite level football competition in Europe by opposing the monopoly over the football world, and wishes to initiate new discussions as to the path that European competitions should take in the future."
Madrid's statement read: "At Real Madrid, we welcome with great satisfaction the decision taken by the Court of Justice of the European Union, which is responsible for guaranteeing our principles, values and freedoms," president Florentino Perez said.
"In the coming days we will study the scope of this ruling in detail, but I would like to anticipate two conclusions of great historical significance. Firstly, that European club football is not and will never again be a monopoly.
"And secondly, that from today the clubs will be the masters of their destiny. We, the clubs, see our right to propose and promote European competitions that modernise our sport and attract fans from all over the world fully recognised. In short, today the Europe of freedoms has triumphed once again, and today football and its fans have triumphed too."