Barcelona president names clubs prepared to join Super League

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has claimed there is enough interest to launch the Super League next season as he named clubs who have already confirmed their desire to join.

In the face of widespread criticism of the initial plans back in 2021, Premier League sides have firmly distanced themselves from the proposed breakaway competition, but those behind the group have received fresh motivation with a court ruling that FIFA and UEFA cannot punish clubs who wish to join.

The co-founder of the group behind the Super League, A22, recently suggested around 20 teams had approved the idea of joining, and Laporta has now gone as far as to name the clubs in question.

"In addition to Barca and Real Madrid, there would be the Italians: Inter, AC Milan, Napoli and Roma," Laporta told RAC1. "Also French teams, such as Marseille, and the three Portuguese: Sporting CP, Benfica and Porto, who would be delighted to come.

"Then there are the Dutch teams, Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV, and Club Brugge and Anderlecht from Belgium. A 16-team competition would be better."

Laporta also laughed off the lack of interest from English sides, accusing them of creating their own Super League in the form of the Premier League anyway.

"Whether or not the English come, I don't care," he stressed. "They already have a Super League."

Continuing his criticism of the current Champions League format, Laporta added: "Players, the agents, UEFA and the state clubs are getting rich, they are playing wherever they want, while the clubs like us are getting ruined. We are not getting enough from Europe's top competition."

The Super League would still need approval from FIFA before it can create any concrete plans but the global governing body are no longer permitted to block its existence purely out of principle and must listen to the proposal before making a final decision.

READ THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS AND REACTION TO THE PROPOSED EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE