October 16, (THEWILL) – The European Super League project is “alive,” according to Barcelona president Joan Laporta, because, as he rationalised, “we keep winning in the courts.”
Along with Real Madrid and Juventus, the Catalan club is one of only three teams still remaining in the fold of the beleaguered concept. The remaining nine teams, including six Premier League clubs, withdrew in April of this year.
“It’s not parked, the opposite, it’s alive and dialogue is open with all sorts of people in football who are working on it,” Laporta told SPORT. “Juve, Real Madrid and Barcelona are all there and we keep winning in the courts. We’re still working on making a more attractive competition.
“It could be favourable economically for the clubs that take part that it’s an open competition, with promotion and relegation. We’re not closing the door on UEFA, as much as they have acted aggressively from the start.”
On the other subject of financial difficulties at the Catalan club, Laporta suggested that Barcelona may still agree to La Liga’s proposed buyout by private equity firm CVC.
As THEWILL reported, CVC announced last month that they would pay €2.1 billion for an 11% stake in audiovisual rights over the next 50 years. The deal is opposed by only three of La Liga’s 42 clubs: Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Athletic Bilbao.
Laporta revealed: “If they reformulate (the project), and we already had a meeting with them, we will study it again.
“Barca cannot say yes officially without studying the document properly. For now, given what they’ve explained to us, we don’t like it. Yes, we would receive €270 million, but as debt. They say it’s an investment or a loan… so they can give me the documents and we will study it.
“To use 10 percent of our future television rights for half a century as a guarantee, no. Barca cannot sign a contract with their eyes closed even it the dangling carrot is worth 270 million euros. They know we have a complicated financial situation and maybe they’re using us.”
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
