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Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed 10 teams who have joined them and Real Madrid in the revamped version of the Super League, according to Catalan radio station RAC1.
In his statement, Laporta listed the 10 teams, which were all European giants, saying:
"As of now, these are the teams in the Super League: Barcelona, Madrid, Inter, Milan, Napoli, Roma, Marseille, three Dutch teams, (Club) Brugge, and Anderlecht."
He also vouched for the establishment and commencement of the Super League, adding:
"In 1955, only 16 or 18 teams played the European Cup, and it eventually became the biggest tournament."
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The three Dutch teams are presumably PSV Eindhoven, AFC Ajax, and Feyenoord. They are the only three clubs from the Netherlands to have lifted the Champions League.
When it was proposed for the first time in April 2021 as the European Super League, the Super League sent the footballing world into a frenzy. It was a bolt from the blue, leaving fans shellshocked at the sheer extent of the plans that their favorite clubs had been plotting behind the scenes.
Initially planned as a 64-team competition, it seemed to have fallen apart as many clubs withdrew after suffering extreme backlash for their involvement. Barcelona and Real Madrid, headed by Laporta and Florentino Perez respectively, were the only major clubs backing the proposal and kept it dormant at best.
The European Court of Justice passed a judgment in December 2023, stating that FIFA and UEFA contravened EU law by threatening the breakaway clubs with sanctions. Yet, all the major English clubs recently reiterated their support for UEFA club competitions.
Laporta still made a plea to those clubs to join the project, also calling for its commencement within two seasons' time. He said:
"We will start with the Super League in the 2024/2025, or maybe the 2025/2026 season. I would be happy if the English teams joined."
AS Roma, meanwhile, have put out a statement stating that they're not planning to join the Super League despite Laporta's claims.
Pep Guardiola and Joan Laporta not interested in Barcelona reunion: Reports
After current manager Xavi announced his decision to step down at the end of the season, the search for a new manager has been in full swing at Barcelona.
The names of any candidates have popped up, including Hansi Flick and Jurgen Klopp. Some rumors even suggest a potential reunion with two of their most successful managers - Manchester City's Pep Guardiola or Paris Saint-Germain's Luis Enrique.
However, Mundo Deportivo reports that neither Barcelona president Laporta nor Pep Guardiola himself are pondering a reunion this summer. Guardiola recently confirmed his willingness and passion to continue at City, saying:
“Here (at City) I have everything a coach dreams of. Absolutely everything. We changed a lot of players in these seven years... The board has always supported me, the players, a good atmosphere... I know that at some point it will end, but I don’t think it will be right now.”
Laporta echoed his countryman's sentiments, as is evident in an excerpt from his statement to RAC1:
“He has a contract with Manchester City (until 2025) and he respects contracts. I speak often with him and I know what the club thinks about him.”
Guardiola won numerous trophies during his spell at Barcelona, including a treble.
