Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has said an escaping European Super League would be a step away from 70 years of football history and fans will love the Champions League as it is.
Sources told ESPN on Sunday that 15 of Europe’s biggest clubs are in talks to launch an escape league, scheduled to start in time for the 2023-24 season, with a fund of $ 6 billion (£ 4. 3 billion) that supports the project.
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A total of six Premier League clubs, including United, had signed up for plans for a new league to rival UEFA’s Champions League.
Ferguson, who won the Champions League twice with United after European success at Scottish club Aberdeen, told Reuters he had “special nights” in the Champions League.
“Talking about a Super League is a step away from 70 years of European club football,” he told Reuters. “Both as a player for a Dunfermline provincial team in the 1960s and as a manager of Aberdeen who won the European Cup Winners’ Cup, it was like climbing Mount Everest for a small provincial club in Scotland.
Everton is spending £ 500 million to build a new stadium with the ambition to play in the Champions League. Fans love the league as it is.
“In my time at United we played in four Champions League finals and those were always the most special evenings.
He added, “I’m not sure Manchester United is involved as I’m not part of the decision-making process.”
The UK government also commented on the plans, with Culture Minister Olivier Dowden saying: “Football fans are the heartbeat of our national sport and any major decisions taken must have their support.
“With many fans, we are concerned that this plan could lead to a closed shop at the top of our national game.”
Gary Neville, the former Ferguson captain, interrupted his comment on Sky Sports coverage of United’s victory over Burnley to criticize the escape plans.
“I am not against the modernization of football leagues, with the Premier League, we have the Champions League,” he said.
But to come up with proposals in the midst of COVID, in the midst of the economic crisis that exists for all clubs, is an absolute scandal.
United and the rest of the six major clubs that have signed up against the rest of the Premier League should be ashamed.
“Is Arsenal in there? They just played a draw with Fulham, Manchester United are playing a draw with Burnley. I can’t concentrate on the game. Signing up for the Super League during a season is a joke, they have to deduct all six points.” . “