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    LaLiga News: ECA President Al-Khelaifi says those who resist the Super League “twist the narratives and shout to the sky”

    Barcelona, ​​Real Madrid and Juventus continue to “twist narratives” and “shout to the sky” by pursuing the Super League, said Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

    The president of Paris Saint-Germain was named president of the European Club Association (ECA) in April following the fallout from plans proposed by 12 of the continent’s biggest clubs to form a separatist competition.

    Al-Khelaifi replaced Andrea Agnelli, the Juventus president who left ECA after the Serie A club was involved in the Super League, a project in which PSG was not involved.

    Nine of the ‘founding’ clubs withdrew from the plans as a result of overwhelming fan reaction, but Barça, Madrid and Juve continued to support the plans as a means to protect the future of European football.

    Speaking at the ECA general meeting on Monday, Al-Khelaifi said: “I won’t spend much time talking about April 18 and the ‘not so Super League’, because I don’t like focusing on fabulists and failures. .

    “Together, we have defended the interests of European football for everyone: for the players, the clubs, the leagues, the national federations and, above all, the fans. We have relied on the determination and strength of the president [Aleksander] Ceferin, who opposed the midnight coup, and people with short memories should remember that this is exactly what it was.

    “And as the three rebel clubs waste energy, distort narratives and keep shouting to the sky, the rest of us are moving forward and focusing all our energies on building a better future for European football, together as one.

    “As you know, for the nine clubs that have applied to rejoin our family, the ECA board has reinstated them in our structures with renewed commitments to strengthen our association. I welcome them back to the ECA family ”.

    Al-Khelaifi also announced a five-point plan by the ECA to “repair and strengthen European football”, with financial safeguards as a priority amid the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

    The ECA intends to create a debt fund together with UEFA to help clubs in their recovery, while Financial Fair Play measures are expected to be modified, with reports suggesting a salary cap could be introduced.

    “The first priority is to bring urgent financial stability to European football,” said Al-Khelaifi. “Even before COVID, many financial problems hit football. However, the pandemic has amplified them all. We are all facing this new COVID reality today: every single club is feeling the pain; big clubs and small clubs, from all parts of Europe.

    “During the two seasons of the pandemic, there have been billions in revenue losses in European football – and this season too we are not in trouble. If we don’t act soon, the damage will be impossible to reverse.

    “The ECA is working closely with UEFA to put in place a multi-billion dollar debt fund to allow clubs of all levels to accelerate their recovery from the financial devastation of COVID. We know that the need of our members is significant and we have fought hard for this project.

    “I would like all of your support so that we can quickly put the final elements in place with UEFA. We can therefore provide quick and easy support to help overcome the liquidity crisis that is still engulfing our clubs and the communities they support.

    “In addition, as we seek to avoid future financial problems beyond the COVID crisis, a UEFA-ECA emergency fund for future crises is under consideration.

    “In addition, the ECA has also supported a separate initiative to redistribute around € 50 million a year in extra solidarity money for the benefit of smaller clubs not participating in European club competitions. Smaller clubs need this extra money. This is what I mean by saying that the ECA represents everyone’s interests.

    “Finally, new rules on Financial Fair Play will be implemented with the aim that European club football remains at the top of sport and entertainment, but also guaranteeing a stable, sustainable, inclusive and competitive football pyramid”.

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