The latest move by UEFA could eventually lead to
disciplinary action restarting against the rebel clubs after it was abandoned
on Monday night to comply with the ruling by the judge being challenged.
“UEFA has filed a motion for the recusal of the judge
presiding over the current proceedings as it believes there are significant
irregularities in these proceedings,” European football’s governing body said
in a statement. “In line with Spanish law — and in the fundamental interests of
justice — UEFA fully expects the judge in question to immediately stand aside
pending the full and proper consideration of this motion.”
The Spanish league, which opposed the attempted creation of
the Super League in April, said it had also filed a motion backing UEFA’s case
against the judge.
UEFA has also filed an appeal with the higher court of
appeal in Madrid to remove judge Manuel Ruiz de Lara, in part highlighting his
planned appearance at a conference next month discussing the Super League case.
“Recent events confirm a constant line that has raised
unconfirmed suspicions about his partiality until this very moment, where we
can no longer maintain that there is no lack of impartiality on the Judge Ruíz
de Lara’s side,” UEFA wrote in a filing seen by The Associated Press.
UEFA is hoping a ruling by the European Court of Justice in
Luxembourg could back its attempts to eventually ban Barcelona, Real Madrid and
Juventus from the Champions League as the clubs refuse to renounce the attempt
to create a breakaway, largely-closed competition.
UEFA said in a statement it will “continue to take all
necessary steps, in strict accordance with national and EU law, in order to
defend its interests and — most importantly — those of its members and all
football stakeholders.”
The UEFA case was launched in the fallout from the stunning
launch of the Super League by 12 clubs in April. The plan to split from the
existing Champions League run by UEFA collapsed within 48 hours after the
English clubs — Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester clubs
United and City — pulled out amid a backlash from their own fans and the
government. Three of the other Super League founding members — AC Milan, Inter
Milan and Atlético Madrid — also quickly backed out. '-AP