Not-So-Super League: All 6 English Teams Abandon Breakaway Soccer Group

Update (1815ET): The Associated Press reports, according to a source, that Arsenal is withdrawing from the Super League, joining Chelsea and Man City.

Shortly after that news hit, the rest of the English Premier League teams confirmed their abandonment of the breakaway group:

• *ARSENAL CONFIRMS IT’S WITHDRAWING FROM SUPER LEAGUE

• *LIVERPOOL SAYS SUPER LEAGUE INVOLVEMENT DISCONTINUED

• *MAN UTD: WE WON’T BE PARTICIPATING IN THE EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE

• *TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR SAYS TO WITHDRAW EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE PLAN

Not-so-Super league anymore!

*  *  *

Having been blasted almost unanimously around the world for ‘suffocating the grassroots’, or ‘mocking the working class origins of the game’, it appears the newly-formed breakaway soccer Super League is struggling even before it starts. 

The Financial Times reports that Chelsea and Manchester City are preparing to pull out of the European Super League after rival football clubs, managers, players, fans and politicians united in opposition to the contentious plans.

Their reported decision comes after England’s Premier League vowed earlier in the day to take action against its member clubs that have joined the new contest.

The decision to withdraw signals the first outward signal of discontent between the rebel clubs, who have faced international condemnation over their involvement in a project that threatens to overturn the hierarchy of the world’s favourite sport.

OUT:

• Manchester City
• Chelsea
• Arsenal
• Manchester United
• Liverpool
• Tottenham

IN:

• Juventus
• Inter Milan
• AC Milan
• Real Madrid
• Barcelona
• Atletico Madrid

There were reports from Spain earlier in the day that claimed that Barcelona and Atletico Madrid could look to follow suit, but these are, as yet unconfirmed.

“I think this project has died today… and it is on the way to becoming a complete botch,” former Real Madrid President Ramon Calderon told CNN’s Richard Quest.

“I think it deserves it because it was a project destined to kill football. I think mainly at this time that we are living where many clubs are struggling to survive due to the economic problems from the pandemic, what football needs is unity, solidarity,” added Calderon.

The threat of tangible and co-ordinated action against the Super League clubs is the next step of a growing crisis in European football