Will Spanish clubs be next to withdraw from European Super League after English football’s ‘big six’ break away?

ALL remaining European teams, including Spain’s Real Madrid and Barcelona,  are considering their involvement in the plans for the European Super League after all six English teams sensationally withdrew from the tournament.

The 12-team Super League, set up between England’s ‘big six’ Spain’s Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid and Italy’s AC Milan and Juventus, was announced on Sunday and met with widespread backlash. 

The move was slammed by fans, football authorities and government ministers in the UK and across Europe by Uefa and league associations.

But plans started to crumble when Manchester City became the the first team to formally announce they were walking away from the plans as they released a statement yesterday that read: “Manchester City Football Club can confirm that it has formally enacted the procedures to withdraw from the group developing plans for a European Super League.”

Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham then announced their withdrawals late on Tuesday, with Chelsea announcing their exit in the early hours of this morning (Wednesday).

The English clubs’ exits came swiftly after proposals for the new league were blasted by PM Boris Johnson, who accused the breakaway football clubs of forming ‘a kind of cartel’.

In a statement, the European Super League said: “Given the current circumstances we shall reconsider the most appropriate steps to reshape the project, always having in mind our goals of offering fans the best experience possible while enhancing solidarity payments for the entire football community.”

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, who was named as the ESL’s chairman, said the competition was set up ‘to save football’ because young people are ‘no longer interested’ in the game because of ‘a lot of poor quality games’. 

None of the Spanish and Italian sides have yet released a statement after the six Premier League teams pulled out.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is insisting on the idea of keeping the group together to push for change,” says Spanish football expert Guillem Balague.

“Barcelona say they agreed to the ESL, but only if the Season Ticket Holders Assembly approve it, which could be their way out.”

Balague also said Atletico Madrid met this morning to review their position.

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