Barcelona Withdraws from European Super League Amidst Relationship Strains

omidbasir- Barcelona has officially announced its withdrawal from the European Super League, marking a significant setback for a project that has faced numerous challenges in gaining traction.

Initially launched in 2021 with backing from 12 of Europe’s premier clubs, the Super League encountered immediate backlash, particularly in England, resulting in the withdrawal of the six participating Premier League teams: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur.

Subsequently, Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan, AC Milan, and Juventus also opted out, leaving only Real Madrid and Barcelona as the remaining proponents of the initiative.

However, the recent deterioration in relations between Barcelona and Madrid, coupled with President Joan Laporta’s efforts to mend ties with UEFA and the European Football Clubs (EFC), has prompted Barcelona to formally distance itself from the project.

In an official statement, the LaLiga leaders confirmed, “Barcelona hereby announces that [on Saturday] it has formally notified the European Super League Company and the clubs involved of its withdrawal from the European Super League project.”

In the wake of the initial controversy surrounding the Super League’s launch, which was criticized for creating an exclusive competition for founding members, a relaunch occurred in 2024 under the name Unify League.

A22 Sports, the promoter of the Super League, revealed that it had submitted a proposal to UEFA and FIFA seeking formal recognition of its right to establish a new European competition. This followed a December 2023 ruling by the European Court of Justice, which determined that UEFA and FIFA had “abused a dominant position,” labeling their regulations regarding new competition formats as “arbitrary.”

Despite A22 Sports’ initiatives, enthusiasm for the Super League has waned across Europe, particularly in light of recent adjustments to the Champions League format, which has seen a transition to a Swiss model involving 36 teams in a single league. This change, along with a new revenue distribution system, has been well received by most clubs.

Recent months have seen a deterioration in the relationship between Barcelona and Real Madrid, particularly between their respective presidents, Laporta and Florentino Pérez. Once allies in the Super League endeavor, they have since rekindled their longstanding differences. Pérez and Madrid have been advocating for actions against Barcelona concerning the ongoing Negreira case, which involves payments made by the club to the vice president of Spain’s refereeing commission from 2001 to 2018.

In October, Laporta announced his intention to restore connections with UEFA and the EFC during a scheduled meeting in Rome.