"Dreams can't be buy" - Bruno Fernandes

What has happened?

Twelve of Europe's leading football clubs have announced they have agreed to establish a new midweek competition, the European Super League, governed by its 'Founding Clubs'.

Real Madrid, Manchester City and Chelsea will likely be banned from this season's Champions League semi-finals. There is a potential the 12 teams will be removed or have points deducted from their domestic leagues.

Latest developments

• ESL to be "suspended"
• All six English clubs withdraw from the agreement. AC Milan and Barca to potentially follow
• Manchester City, potentially Chelsea requesting withdrawal from ESL
• BREAKING "Chelsea are now preparing documentation to request withdrawing from the ESL"
• Luke Shaw (Man Utd) speaks out against the ESL
• "Liverpool have grown "increasingly doubtful" in the last 24 hours about the Super League, the Premier League clubs didn't expect the anger from the fans to be so extreme" (Bild)
• "The Super League clubs have decided to transfer their UCL trophies over to the Super League. Real Madrid will start with 13 Super League championships."
• Klopp condemns the ECL live on MNF
• Chelsea, Man City and Real Madrid to be kicked out of Champions League, Uefa member claims
• "Man United players angry with club over Super League reveal"
• PM Boris Johnson says "we'll do everything we can to make sure Super League does not go ahead"

Which teams would participate in the new Super League?

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, Arsenal, Chelsea, Inter, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham are the clubs announced as founding members.

How will the new competition work?

Proposals have included a 20-team league, made up of 15 permanent members and five who would qualify annually.

This format would see two groups of 10 clubs, with the top four from each group going through to a knockout phase that would be similar to the current Champions League. Matches would still be midweek and could continue alongside traditional domestic competition. The main advantage for the 15 founders is guaranteed entry – and the revenue that goes with it – each year.

Even with the proposed changes to the Champions League, there remains a possibility teams could fail to qualify. The proposed European Super League would eliminate that risk.

How has football reacted to the Super League plot?

Almost universal condemnation from everyone but the clubs involved. Gary Neville, the former Manchester United and England defender, was among those outraged by plans which could cause untold financial damage to smaller clubs - but create billions more for the top clubs.

"I'm a Manchester United fan and I have been for 40 years of my life but I'm absolutely disgusted," he told Sky Sports. "I'm disgusted with Manchester United and Liverpool most. Liverpool, they pretend 'You'll Never Walk Alone', the people's club, the fans' club. Manchester United, 100 years borne out of workers round here, and they're breaking away into a league without competition, that they can't be relegated from? It's an absolute disgrace."

Players condemning the plans:

(Current) ESL Players

Marcus Rashford (Man Utd)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan)
Luke Shaw (Man Utd)
Bruno Fernandes (Man Utd) via Daniel Podence (Wolves)
James Milner (Liverpool)
Joao Cancelo (Man City)
Rafael Leao (Milan)
Konstantinos Tsimikas (Liverpool)
Arnau Pigmal (Man Utd academy player)

Ex-"ESL" Club Players

Gary Lineker (ex-Barcelona and Tottenham)
Jamie Carragher (ex-Liverpool)
Luis Figo (ex-Barcelona, Madrid & Inter)
Roberto Carlos (ex. Real Madrid and Inter)
Ian Wright (ex-Arsenal)
Rio Ferdinand (ex. Man Utd)
Roy Keane (ex-Man Utd) & Micah Richards (ex-Man City)
Gary Neville (ex. Man Utd)
Lukas Podolski (ex-Arsenal)
Bacary Sagna (Ex-Arsenal and Man City player)
Mesut Ozil (fenerbahce. Ex-Arsenal & Real Madrid player)
Kevin Prince Boateng (ex-Milan)
Dejan Lovren (Zenit. ex-Liverpool)
Ander Herrera (PSG. Ex-Man Utd player)
Luis Alberto (Lazio. Ex- Liverpool player and Barcelona youth) in response to Ander Herrera's story
Luca Toni (ex-Bayern and Juventus)
Danny Murphy (Ex-Liverpool) and Dion Dublin (Ex-Man Utd) on MOTD2

I'm taking my talents to the nfl

That's real football now

Yikes

Out

ARSENAL INVITED

So why is everyone mad at this?
Im confused tb

Completely against the spirit (and competition) of football, no guaranteed relegation. Will most likely result in the teams being removed from their previous domestic leagues, resulting in the death of smaller clubs. Elitism at its finest.

Innn

Arsenal

damn this is crazu

Kroenke eat s*** and die!

lmfao

Not even a page in and it's just Arsenal slander

literally why would arsenal sign up for this they just gonna come last every single year

Wild af....as a Real Madrid fan I am very conflicted

It's f***ing over.

Kroenke (2023) after finishing last place

This is insane.

It would be exciting for me as a Juve fan but what the f***.

Don't needa worry about top 4 this season then

Cancel the UCL
Give leicester the league/fa Cup and the same for other leagues

Dam.

They've been trying to make this happen for a decade. F*** em they made their decision. Footy's better off without them