The Super League Shake-Up: Why It Could Be the Best Thing for Football
Back in 2009 Mr Arsène Wenger said “I see more a European league developing over time rather than one team going out of the country” how true this is right now, Arsene Wenger is like Nostradamus of football.
In the article he also says he believes in only sporting merits, like qualifying for Champions league & Europa league, this cannot be argued with, sporting merit is priority. Then he went on to say
“The way we are going financially is that even the money that will be coming in from the Champions League will not be enough for some clubs because they spend too much money. The income is basically owned by UEFA and they distribute the money to the clubs”
This is the worrying part if the big clubs get richer, they would ultimately pull away from the chasing pack, this would become less competitive in their own leagues (Ligue 1 – PSG, Bundesliga – Bayern, La Liga – Barcelona & Real Madrid, Serie A – Juventus & Inter Milan, Liga Portugal – Benfica & Porto, Premier League – Man City) these are the clubs that has recent DOMINATED their respected leagues, PSG has won 4 of the last 5, Bayern 10 of 10, Li Liga last 20 years only Atletico Madrid and Valenica has managed to win it besides Barcelona and Real Madrid, Serie A 9 of the 11 pervious years has been won by Juventus, AC Milan & Inter Milan are the recent winners, Man City has won 4 of the last 5 Priemer League, these stats are shocking when you think that their own league should be competitive, unless you support 1 of these teams its entertaining if not its soul sucking that your team can never win it unless a rich multi billionaire or a state own country buys the club and dumps loads of money into it.
Mr Wenger states that UEFA owns and they distribute the money to the clubs, we all know how corrupt FIFA is, UEFA and FIFA are 2 sides of the same coin, how Russia and Qatar won the bids I don’t know.
Im not here saying that the Super League owners or president are not corrupt or anything but at the moment UEFA in Europe is a monopoly, they are do whatever they want, and no one can do or say anything about it.
Over the last 15/20 years UEFA has changed its format,
1991–1993: Three knockout qualifying rounds; group phase with two groups; two group winners meet in final; one club per country (the league champion) plus the defending champion; In 1992–93 season, the European Cup was officially rebranded as UEFA Champions League
1993–1994: Knockout semi-finals added following group phase
1994–1997: One knockout qualifying round; group phase with four groups; group winners and runners-up to eight-team knockout phase; one club per country (the league champion) plus the defending champion
1997–1999: Two knockout qualifying rounds; group phase with six groups; group winners and best two runners-up to eight-team knockout phase; up to two clubs per country
1999–2003: Three knockout qualifying rounds; two group phases with eight first-phase group winners and runners-up moving to four second-phase groups; second-phase group winners and runners-up to eight-team knockout phase; up to four clubs per country
Since 2003: Three knockout qualifying rounds; one group phase with eight groups; group winners and runners-up to 16-club knockout phase; still up to four clubs per country
Since 2009: UEFA introduced a play-off round in qualifying round of the Europa League and Champions League
Since 2018: Automatic group stage berths for the Europa League winners without additional entries required followed with the group stage qualification format reforms (the top 4 clubs from the top 4 national associations automatically began to get into the group stage)
Since 2021: UEFA abolished the away goal rules in all of the club competitions for the two-legged knockout stages and if a match ends in a draw on aggregate after both legs, they will have to go through with extra time after the end of the 90-minute regulation and a penalty shoot-out if the aggregate remains unchanged after extra time to determine the winner of the tie. Prior to 1970, aggregate draws were settled by a play-off and (if necessary) coin-toss. Thereafter, it was via the away goals rule and (if necessary) a penalty shoot-out. The final retained the potential for a replay until the late 1970s.
Scheduled for 2024: Partly in response to the attempt at the European Super League, UEFA decided on an extended format beginning with the 2024–25 season. The group stage is planned to evolve into a league stage in which the number of teams increases from 32 to 36. Every club will play a minimum of 8 league stage games against 8 different opponents (four home games, four away) instead of the current six matches against three teams, played on a home and away basis. The teams finishing in 1st through 8th places will qualify automatically for the knockout stage, while the teams finishing in 9th to 24th places will compete in a two-legged play-off to secure their path to the last 16 of the competition.
Yes you can say they changed it and it’s for the better, during the 91 to 97 years it was 1 club per country, isn’t this like the Super League idea/Concept. Winning the Champions League back then is worth more than it does now? Because you beaten the winners of their respected leagues.
After 99 it becomes four per country, doesn’t this diminish they trophy? I understand why they did it, TV revenue, match day tickets and other merchandises.
There were reports on UEFA awarding 2 spots for clubs based on historic continental performance, meaning that if a team finishes outside top 4 in English they can still qualify for champions league due to their coefficient ranking, this idea was scrapped. Why would they come up with this idea? Because UEFA are scared of the Super League, they are worried that most of the big clubs will join the Super League and UEFA cannot make money out of them.
Like Arsene said qualifying for the Champions League, Super League or any tournament football should be based on merit and not on pervious or historic performances.
There were reports saying that the Super League will have no relegation or demotion at the time, they have released a new proposal it will have multi divisional format, no permanent members (this is good), minimum of 14 matches per season (this alone can be a great thing, im assuming its 7 home and 7 away, Champions League minimum is 3 home 3 away, so there’s more home games.
Liverpool has the most games played in a season with 71, they reached the final in all the competitions they were in, if you include the Super League minimum games that would take it to 79 games in 1 season, if doesn’t factor in World cups, European championship & UEFA nations league that’s a lot of games, but not every club will be doing this.
All these tournaments are ran by FIFA or UEFA, they are eating good.
Of course the bigger clubs would have an advantage with stronger squad depth, but is it fair for the players? Its their jobs right, who or what player doesn’t want to play in every game, tournament or competition out there, it’s their jobs to look after themselves outside of the game, eat right, sleep the correct ways, massages, ice baths and many others.
UEFA are making a lot of money from these competitions, the UEFA Super Cup is a one off cup that is winner of the UEFA Champions League vs UEFA Europe League, this cup doesn’t make sense to me why would the winner of Europe play against a team that won the B league of Europe? This event is clearly a money making scam?
UEFA has to much power and control in European leagues, cup & competitions, it does make sense that the clubs want the Super League if it benefits them more, money, control, why shouldn’t the clubs get more money? The more money the clubs makes the investments the clubs would make to their facilities, surrounding areas, bigger transfers would help smaller clubs.
It would benefit not just the clubs, it would benefit the city, the close amenities within the area, it’s not just the football players that has to go to that city, the fan, the pundits, tv crew, they would have to eat sleep in that city.
If UEFA is really that well ran, why would most the biggest clubs want to separate and formal a super league? Is it just about the money? Maybe.
Why do fans & pundit fear Super League? The more we understand and learn about the Super League the less we would fear/scared of it. The Super League is governed by its founding clubs this can be a good thing and a bad thing, who would hold them accountable for their mistakes, but in terms of revenue and money I think it’s better the clubs has a say and not a separate entity deciding how the money is distributed.
Catch you in the next one.
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