What weapons do UEFA and the rest of footballing Europe have against the “12 bastards”?

Should we see a symbol? Monday, at a time when a good part of the Old Continent counted the sheep in the stake but where the new world was still standing, 12 European clubs announced the creation of a football Super League. In alphabetical order: AC Milan, Arsenal, Atlético Madrid, Chelsea, FC Barcelona, ​​Inter Milan, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham, to which must be added Real Madrid and Juventus from sponsors Florentino Pérez and Andrea Agnelli . In short, that beautiful people to bury the Champions League, whose UEFA has also validated the reform to a format barely different from that of its gravedigger, whose first edition could see the light of day in 2022-2023.

Note also that the dissent is based on funding between 4 and 6 billion euros from the American bank JPMorgan and a mysterious broadcaster that was thought to be DAZN before the platform’s denial, where UEFA is thinking in conclave to the best response to this declaration of war, with Nasser Al-Khelaïfi as the unlikely leader of the resistance. With an underlying question: what safeguards the rest of European football still has to contain this madness?

UEFA and deterrence by national teams

A large-scale attack large-scale response. A few hours before the official announcement of the 12 traitors with the star-spangled banner, the European body brandished the already known threat of exclusion of dissident clubs from “any other competition at national, European or world level”. Fate shared by their players, who would be denied the opportunity to represent their national teams. An effective way to cool those whose ambitions are not limited to club competitions. But not necessarily legal. The Super League has seized preventively “the competent courts” to ensure its existence in the face of the threat of a legal battle with the football authorities, according to a letter addressed to UEFA and Fifa.

The 12 founding members could in fact find in a decision of the European Union … on speed skating dated December 16, 2020 a shield against the sanctions that UEFA intends to apply. We will tell you: the EU has banned the International Federation from banning for life two skaters who wanted to participate in private and lucrative events, considering that this sanction was disproportionate and contrary to competition law within the Union European. Gautier Kertudo, lawyer specializing in sports law, at 20 minutes :

“The other interesting point in this decision is that it was taken before the sanctions were definitively pronounced against the two skaters. This means, if we come back to football, that the 12 clubs could already seize the European Commission on the fact that we threaten to pronounce sanctions against the clubs and their players. In addition, one cannot deprive of access to the national team on grounds which are the repercussions of a purely economic debate. Access to the national team is a form of appeal for participation in a public service. There is case law which says that when you represent your national team, you represent your country. This aspect is also important. “

Strong turmoil in the political sphere

Little fun in this legal micmac. The European Union, which serves here as tailor-made jurisprudence for the new organization, does not seem very keen on seeing UEFA ridiculed by a gang of powerful. One of the vice-presidents of the European Commission even pointed out a competition contrary to the European values ​​of “diversity” and “inclusion” on the networks. “There is no question of reserving it for the few rich and powerful clubs who want to break the links”, has railed the so-called Margaritis Schinas, commissioner in charge of the Promotion of the European way of life.

In France, it is neither more nor less than Jupiter in person who has come out against this closed league project. “The President of the Republic welcomes the position of French clubs to refuse to participate in a European football Superleague project, threatening the principle of solidarity and sporting merit,” the Elysee explained to RMC. The French state will support all the steps taken by the LFP, FFF, UEFA and FIFA to protect the integrity of federal competitions, whether national or European ”. Support which we do not know very well how it can still materialize but on which Alexander Ceferin will not spit.

The weight of supporters

The same goes for the supporters, who have a golden opportunity to make their voices heard. No luxury in a foot-pandemic silenced for a year. Those of Real Madrid and Barcelona have perhaps more than others to say about the weight granted by the socio-status, although… It is hard to imagine the Merengue supporters turning their backs on Florentino – qu ‘they just got re-elected – if the latter turns Super League money into signings of Kylian Mbappé and / or Erling Haaland.

“It’s been a while since the public in Liverpool, Barcelona has changed, to the point that the local supporters have already complained, underlines the sociologist Nicolas Hourcade. Both in Barcelona very clearly and in Liverpool, there are supporters of the city who regretted the loss of territorial link between the club and the city. All this is part of a continuity, without a clear break. Gradually, football clubs have sought to expand their market, their audience, to favor a wealthy audience as in American franchises and an audience via television. “

There are still some limits for Chelsea supporters not to cross. The latter are now angry with Roman Abramovich for having embarked them in this bazaar by turning his back on the old story of Stamford Bridge and speak of “ultimate betrayal” towards “the loyal supporters”. “This weekend, European supporters’ federations took a stand against this project, and associations of supporters of clubs likely to be involved also spoke out against”, adds Hourcade.

The groups of supporters, custodians of the spectacle in the stadiums and whose ability to mobilize to defend their interests is no longer to be proven, therefore have their card to play. But the battle also promises to be unbalanced with viewers ready to pay dearly to eat all-star football every weekend. Smoke vs cash, the best win.

What about Fifa in all of this?

Almost too discreet in this case, the body of world football says all the same that it can “only disapprove of a closed and dissident European League outside the structures of football”, while however distinguishing itself from the threatening speech of UEFA. “Fifa calls on all parties involved in heated discussions to engage in a calm, constructive and balanced dialogue for the good of this game.” Gianni Infantino, who still has great plans for the Club World Cup, he expects to interfere in the breach? When we see Florentino Pérez, president of the club that best embodies the Champions League, turning the page without making any feelings, we say to ourselves that everything is possible in this Game of Thrones of football.