UK Government pledge to block proposed Super League
The UK Government will do everything they can to block plans for a breakaway Super League, according to Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden.
Six Premier League clubs were announced among the founding members of a new European competition on Monday, which is designed to rival the Champions League from 2021/22.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd and Tottenham joined six clubs from Spain and Italy in signing up for the new competition, which will be a closed shop with automatic and permanent membership for those involved from the start.
Opposition has been voiced all over the UK, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson quick to voice his concerns on Sunday evening - even before the plans were formally announced. Now, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has told the House of Commons: “We will put everything on the table to prevent this from happening.
“We are examining every option, from governance reform, to competition law, and the mechanisms that allow football to take place. Put simply, we will be reviewing everything the Government does to support these clubs to play.
"It does not strike me that the Government should continue providing that support in the face of this proposal.”
Prime Minister Johnson had previously said on Twitter that plans would be 'damaging' for football in the UK.
"Plans for a European Super League would be very damaging for football and we support football authorities in taking action," he wrote. "They would strike at the heart of the domestic game, and will concern fans across the country.
"The clubs involved must answer to their fans and the wider footballing community before taking any further steps."
UEFA will pull out all the stops to prevent the competition from happening and president Aleksander Ceferin has already said that players who take part will not be welcome at futureWorld Cups and European Championships.
There have also been threats that Chelsea, City and Real Madrid could be expelled from this season's Champions League before they have the chance to contest their semi-finals.