European Super League ‘could appeal to likes of Manchester United and Barcelona’ amid coronavirus outbreak

The threat of a new European Super League is growing because of football’s financial meltdown across the Continent, according to reports.

UEFA and league bosses thought they had headed off attempts to form a breakaway competition made up of the European elite last year.

But the Sun report that those in favour of a European Super League believe there will never be a better time to tempt the likes of Manchester United, Barcelona and Bayern Munich due to the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus lockdown.

Private equity and venture capitalist firms are keen to find a way to get involved in football and cash in on a change in the make-up of Europe’s professional game.

The prospect of all major leagues having to reset due to the Covid-19 pandemic, has left it wide open for the speculators to get involved. 

One proposal is to have a single league of 20 to 22 of the biggest clubs, without promotion and relegation. And the other option is two divisions of 16 teams. 

An insider told The Sun: ‘Football across Europe is set for a major change — leagues and clubs have maxed things out when it comes to TV deals, matchday revenue, sponsorship and marketing.

That has come at a time when the bottom has fallen out of their businesses because of the shutdown.

‘There is no better time to make a move than now.

‘Football has changed. Do you think some of the owners in the game, of some of the biggest clubs, care about the tradition of competitions?

‘All they care about is an exit strategy — and a new European league, with the sums being talked about, gives them exactly that. It’s all about the money.’

Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli led the last attempt to restructure the European game in 2019.

But the 44-year-old’s ideas were swatted away by UEFA and ultimately the European Clubs Association.

Source: dailymail