Real Madrid News
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus contact more than 50 clubs over new European Super League
Around two years after the European Super League project was thrashed, the founding clubs, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus are again making moves to revamp and relaunch the competition, reports The Telegraph.
The backers of the rogue league have revealed that the plan is to create a new competition involving 60-80 teams to replace the UEFA Champions League, Europe’s premier footballing tournament.
The announcement was made in various European newspapers by A22, the Madrid-based sister company of the Super League.
The project, led by Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus, had been dealt a blow in December when the European Court of Justice had made a ruling in favour of maintaining UEFA’s supremacy.
However, led by new CEO Bernd Reichart, the Super League has now proposed a new format for the tournament that would involve around 60-80 teams, although details of the same have been kept under wraps.
The report states that the three clubs have already made contact with over 50 teams regarding the participation in the Super League project.
The European Super League have been targeting the Premier League’s affluence, claiming that leagues without lucrative television deals are struggling to compete with the English top flight.
And with their project, the ESL have previously alleged that they would provide greater solidarity payments to clubs not participating in European competitions to help them financially.
The first iteration of the ESL, which was widely slammed, was launched in 2021 and was formatted to be a closed competition among some elite clubs in Europe.
But with the league now floating the idea of a 60-80 club tournament, it will be interesting to see the response to the latest idea.
As per the report, it will be ‘a multi-division competition of 60 to 80 teams with no permanent members, and a minimum of 14 games per club, per season.’
According to MARCA, Eder Militao is seen as the undisputed leader of the Real Madrid defence, thanks to his ‘impeccable’ level of performances. The 25-year-old’s standing in the team has forced a duel between David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger for the second centre-back slot.
Militao arrived at Real Madrid in the summer of 2019, joining from FC Porto in a deal worth €50 million. While he made a slow start to life in Spain, the Brazilian slowly grew in stature from his second season at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Following the exits of Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane, Militao established himself as a permanent fixture in the backline for the Merengues and was a standout performer last season as they won the La Liga title and the UEFA Champions League trophy.
The 25-year-old has carried on in the same vein of form this season as well, featuring in 35 matches across all competitions for Real Madrid, even chipping in with six goals.
The Brazilian international is seen as one of the best centre-backs in the world currently, with Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti sharing that opinion.
“I may lose credibility if I say Vinicius and Militão are the best striker and defender in the world respectively but it’s the truth. I am honest. Militão lacks nothing,” he had said last month.
Militao is not only viewed as the leader of the Real Madrid defence, but has also grown into a leader within the locker room as well, with the player being loved and fully supported by his teammates.
Militao’s presence has meant that Alaba and Rudiger have had to battle it out for the lone centre-back slot. The former had enjoyed a stunning season last time out after joining from Bayern Munich in 2021, but has struggled with injuries and fitness problems this term.
As for Rudiger, the German arrived last summer from Chelsea and started out slow, but has grown in confidence and stature, especially in recent months. So much so that, his signing is already being regarded as a success within the club.
In Militao, Real Madrid undoubtedly have a long-term fixture at the heart of the defence. But with Rudiger and Alaba in their thirties, the Merengues must look to bring in one more player who can take over from them in the near future and can form a partnership with Militao.
