Florentino Perez said he was “completely sure” that Real Madrid and the other Super League players would not be relegated from the Champions League this season for their role in the proposed separatist group – and threw out the format of the current competition, saying it was “just attractive from the quarterfinals “and the clubs” will all die “without a major reform.
President Madrid Perez – one of the driving forces behind the Super League project, which has been named its president – is the first executive director involved in the plan to speak publicly since Sunday’s announcement.
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“The Champions League is attractive from the quarterfinals, both,” he told Spanish talk show El Chiringuito. “We play against small teams that are not attractive. Young people prefer to have fun with other things. But if we do it all season, five games on Tuesday, five on Wednesday, would be unstoppable.
“What would bring money is the 15 clubs that play each other every week. This is the biggest show in the world, there is nothing like that,” he added. “A Real Madrid-Manchester [United] or a Barcelona-Milan is more attractive than Manchester [United] against a small club.
“What does the world demand? We have fans in Singapore, in China, all over the world, you see that on social networks, the followers they have. That brings money.”
12 clubs – AC Milan, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Barcelona, Internazionale, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur – joined ESL as founding members.
The separatist competition, destined to replace the UEFA Champions League – which announced its own reform plans on Monday – said it expects three more clubs to join, while another five will qualify for performance.
“Today, with the Champions League revenue, we will die,” Perez said, stressing the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. “Less audience, less money. We will all die, big clubs, medium clubs, small clubs. It is said that the new format of the Champions League will enter by 2024, we will be dead by then.”
Perez is the first president of the Super League, while Andrea Agnelli of Juventus and Joel Glazer of Manchester United have been appointed vice-presidents.
The project has received strong criticism from football governing bodies, fans and other clubs that are not involved.
The League called ESL is a “selfish, selfish proposal designed to enrich the already super-rich” in a statement on Monday.
Sevilla – currently ranked fourth in La Liga behind the three ESL Atletico, Real and Barca supporters – have expressed their “complete rejection of a tournament based exclusively on economic parameters”.
The 74-year-old Perez, who was re-elected unopposed as president of Real Madrid for another four-year term earlier this month, also rejected a suggestion that the club could be expelled from the Champions League. this season.
Madrid will face Chelsea in the first round of the semifinals on Tuesday, April 27, before returning on Wednesday, May 5.
“They will definitely not throw Madrid out of the Champions League,” Perez said. “Not Madrid or [Manchester] City or anyone. I’m completely sure. Or La Liga. “
Jesper Moller, the Danish member of the UEFA executive committee, said on Monday that he expects Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City to be out of the competition.
Perez also insisted that players “can be completely calm” about banning UEFA and FIFA international tournaments, such as the World Cup, “because that will not happen”.