Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli says the European Super League (ESL) project cannot proceed as Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid joined the six Premier League clubs in withdrawing. Agnelli was one of the chief architects of the breakaway plans, which involved 12 clubs from England, Spain and Italy.
But with eight of the 12 teams pulling out, he accepts it cannot now go ahead. “To be frank and honest no, evidently that is not the case,” said Agnelli, on whether the ESL could still happen. “I remain convinced of the beauty of that project, of the value that it would have developed to the pyramid, of the creation of the best competition in the world, but evidently no. I don’t think that project is now still up and running.”
Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan announced their withdrawal on Wednesday morning. The Juventus chairman was described as a “snake and a liar” by Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin on Monday after the announcement of the breakaway plans on Sunday evening.
Agnelli resigned his position as chairman of the European Clubs’ Association on Sunday and refused to take calls from Ceferin.
