Barcelona president Joan Laporta has backtracked on his stance on the European Super League. Twelve of the continent’s biggest soccer clubs tried to create their own league a year ago. However, the move failed miserably when fans protested the proposal.
Laporta has now claimed that these massive teams would get bored playing each other so much. “If the big teams played each other all the time, we would all get tired,” Laporta said.
“It is special and healthy for the game when a small club beats a big one. And it’s fun to be after an underdog. It was great when Greece won the European Championship and it was really special when Leicester won the league in England. That’s what football is about.”
The comments come at a time when his Real Madrid counterpart Florentino Pérez has reiterated his wishes for a Super League. Pérez said he is awaiting a decision in court on whether or not UEFA exceeded the law in blocking a possible new league. A ruling on the issue is expected in December.
Laporta, however, has claimed that a Superliga could co-exist with traditional leagues. “The Super League would have to work together with the national leagues,” Laporta said. “That is vitally important. I really believe in national leagues and in my opinion it would be a mistake for a Super League to replace them.”
Barca’s president essentially wants to make the Super League the new Champions League. However, fans will most likely not support a tournament that basically consists of the same teams every season. And it remains to be seen how UEFA would react to the scheme.
Adjustments to Europe’s top competition have been discussed many times before. However, UEFA has plans to expand the number of teams in the tournament to 36. This would essentially add an additional group to the competition.
