Chelsea, Arsenal, Others Pull Out of Shameful European Super League

European football’s breakaway Super League has been in tatters since the six English Premier League clubs involved in the project quit 48 hours after agreeing to join Italian and Spanish teams in the controversial elite competition.

The European Super League lies in tatters yesterday evening as Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool and City all quit on a dramatic evening.

The FA, Uefa and Prime Minister Boris Johnson joined in the chorus of joy as ESL plans crumbled, while United confirmed executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is QUITTING "at the end of 2021".

The decision by Chelsea and Manchester City is – if confirmed – absolutely the right one and I commend them for it.

I hope the other clubs involved in the European Super League will follow their lead.

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) April 20, 2021

Statement from The @FA: pic.twitter.com/nkxYvAL9yP

— FA Spokesperson (@FAspokesperson) April 20, 2021

It is also believed that Atletico Madrid have pulled out of the 12-club rebel league, while Barcelona have said they will put the proposal to their fans before deciding.

City were the first club to officially pull the plug, with Chelsea following suit as their stars were preparing to face Brighton.

Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham then joined United in completing the exodus with coordinated statements at 11pm.

The European Super League itself said it was considering the "most appropriate steps to reshape the project, always having in mind our goals of offering fans the best experience possible".

Old Trafford legend Gary Neville urged United to boot out all the executives involved in the ESL plotting.

Nev told Sky: “Ed Woodward is the trunk of the tree, now it’s time to get the roots out…the Glazers have no place in Manchester United.

"Every single exec who sits at the table, they need throwing out of that club, he knew his time in football was finished."

But in a statement on the Red Devils' official website, Woodward made no mention of the ESL as he said: “I am extremely proud to have served United.

"And it has been an honour to work for the world’s greatest football club for the past 16 years.

“The club is well positioned for the future and it will be difficult to walk away at the end of the year.

“I will treasure the memories from my time at Old Trafford, during a period when we won the Europa League, the FA Cup and the EFL Cup. I am proud of the regeneration of the club’s culture and our return to the Manchester United way of playing."

 

We can confirm that we have formally commenced procedures to withdraw from the group developing proposals for a European Super League (ESL).#THFC ⚪️ #COYS

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) April 20, 2021

As a result of listening to you and the wider football community over recent days we are withdrawing from the proposed Super League.

We made a mistake, and we apologise for it.

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 20, 2021

We will not be participating in the European Super League.#MUFC

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 20, 2021

Liverpool Football Club can confirm that our involvement in proposed plans to form a European Super League has been discontinued.

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 20, 2021

 More departures expected

Inter Milan look likely to be the next to leave with the Italian news agency ANSA quoting a club source as saying: “The Super League project in its current state is no longer considered of interest by Inter”.

UEFA, whose elite Champions League competition was at risk from the proposed new league, threatened to ban the clubs and players who joined the Super League.

Its President Aleksander Ceferin, however, had earlier urged the English clubs to think again and adopted a conciliatory tone.

“I said yesterday that it is admirable to admit a mistake and these clubs made a big mistake,” he said after the English clubs announced their decisions to leave.

“But they are back in the fold now and I know they have a lot to offer not just to our competitions but to the whole of the European game.

“The important thing now is that we move on, rebuild the unity that the game enjoyed before this and move forward together,” he said.

Adding to the drama, Manchester United Executive Vice Chairman Ed Woodward announced his resignation shortly before his club gave up on a project he had been influential in bringing about.

#SuperLeague has been officially SUSPENDED 🚨🚫

- English clubs have left (Chelsea too, official soon).
- Inter have left, AC Milan are set to leave.
- Juventus and Spanish clubs: waiting for official position.

The whole #SuperLeague has been stopped to “reshape the project”.

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 20, 2021

Reigning European champions Bayern Munich and French giants Paris Saint-Germain came out strongly opposing the breakaway league.

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson tweeted a statement on behalf of the squad, saying: “We don’t like it and we don’t want it to happen. This is our collective position.”

April 21, 2021