Real Madrid has reportedly warned that Manchester City and five fellow Premier League clubs may still owe money for a league that never materialised.
Key points
- Real Madrid asserts that Manchester City and five other Premier League clubs still owe a portion of the European Super League's setup costs.
- The clubs withdrew from the league in 2021 after widespread criticism.
- No concrete amounts or legal steps have been publicly detailed.
- The dispute highlights ongoing financial and governance issues stemming from the abandoned Super League project.
Cityxtra.co.uk reports that Real Madrid believes Manchester City and five other Premier League clubs that initially signed up for the breakaway European Super League remain liable for a share of its setup costs, even though the clubs walked away from the project in 2021.
The European Super League was announced in April 2021 with twelve founding clubs, including several English sides, but faced immediate backlash from fans, governing bodies and governments, prompting most participants to withdraw within days.
Background on the European Super League
According to the report, Real Madrid maintains that the clubs' withdrawal does not absolve them of any financial obligations incurred during the league's brief planning phase, though no specific figures or legal actions have been disclosed.
The claim, if pursued, could add another layer to the already complex fallout from the failed league, but details on how the liability would be enforced or any potential settlement remain unclear.
Reader questions
What was the European Super League?
The European Super League was a proposed competition announced in 2021 that would have featured twelve top clubs from across Europe, aiming to create a closed, lucrative tournament separate from existing UEFA competitions.
Why might clubs be liable for costs after withdrawing?
Real Madrid's claim suggests that expenses incurred during the league's planning phase—such as legal fees, marketing, and administrative costs—could be shared among the founding clubs, regardless of whether the competition proceeded.
Source: cityxtra.co.uk