Javier Tebas explains how Super League would 'destroy' European leagues
La Liga president Javier Tebas believes that a European Super League - as is still being proposed by Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona - would completely destroy Europe's national leagues.
Despite the failure of the Super League's attempted launch in 2019 and the widespread resistance it has faced as a concept, the two Spanish giants and Juventus have continued to push the project. Now, they claim to have reworked the model to allow other clubs, not just Europe's elite, to be involved in the competition.
The three teams are even taking a legal case against UEFA for restraint of trade to the European Court of Justice. They have, however, not yet made their new proposal public.
Speaking at a conference in Madrid on Friday, Tebas told his audience that even this new proposal would be "absolutely devastating" for European leagues.
“We would lose more than 55% of our income, and clubs would lose 60% of their value, with this Super League model. If this happened across the European leagues, it would be absolutely devastating," Tebas explained.
"They are trying to hide the format they are developing, which is to return to the format presented in 2019 to ECA. They speak in private about this, but they are hiding it, for strategic reasons, as it would destroy the national leagues over the medium term.”
Harry Symeou hosts Jack Gallagher and Toby Cudworth to look back on Germany '06 as part of the 'Our World Cup' series. We take a trip down memory lane - join us!
If you can't see the podcast embed, click to download or listen to the episode in full!
The format the clubs are planning for the Super League would consist of two divisions and four teams being relegated and promoted each year, according to Tebas. Teams from domestic leagues can qualify for the second tier but entry into the league would be strictly limited.
“Spanish clubs would maybe have a play-off to try and get into that second division of the Super League,” he added.
“But they would lose the incentive they currently have of qualifying for European competition. The big clubs would no longer care about the national leagues, they would not have to remain in the top four."
Tebas also pointed out the financial implications of such a competition, stating that "the attractiveness of all the domestic leagues would be totally destroyed for fans, TV companies and sponsors.”
Perhaps most damning of all was the La Liga president's assessment of the three teams at the forefront of the Super League project.
"There is no transparency from those who are promoting the Super League. It is just the expression of three clubs – and just one club, just one person, Florentino Perez," he said, singling out the Real Madrid president as the main figure behind the Super League.
“Juventus, based on this week’s events, cannot speak as a leader of European football in financial matters. Neither are FC Barcelona an example to follow in this.”
To support his point, an analysis of the proposal carried out by KPGM and FTI Consulting found that La Liga clubs' income would plummet across the board: in television rights, marketing, sponsorship and matchday revenue.
The value of Spanish clubs not in the Super League would also drop by 64%. Beyond that, the move would only benefit the top 5% of players playing for potential Super League teams. The remaining 95% (of 53,000 pro players in 40 European leagues) would see their wages drop drastically.