UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has said Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus could be excluded from the Champions League as the three European giants continue to persevere with a Super League.
Following the failed launch of the European Super League last year, the two LaLiga clubs and Serie A side refused to formally withdraw from the proposal.
With a Madrid court having authorised UEFA to sanction the three clubs who still want to launch a breakaway competition, Ceferin insists the governing body will act – once the appeal process is dealt with.
Speaking in an interview with French outlet L’Equipe, Ceferin said of the situation: ‘First, the decision can always be appealed. When the process is over, we can act…
‘It is possible to punish any club… Some doubt it. They are wrong. The rules are the same for everyone.
‘And if I commented on what people say every day. They also complain that UEFA earns billions, while 93.5 per cent of the income goes to the clubs. How do you explain this if no one is listening?
‘Believe me or not, but all clubs are treated the same, whether they are from Slovenia, my country, or whether they are big names in European football.’
When directly asked if UEFA could exclude Real, Barca and Juve from UEFA competition, Ceferin said: ‘Of course it is possible. But it is the [decision of the] UEFA Disciplinary Committee, which is independent.’
In the same interview, Ceferin also admitted that UEFA’s original concept of awarding two extra places in the Champions League from 2024 onwards to teams with higher co-efficients was an error of judgement.
It comes after a rethink that will see two extra spots awarded to nations who collectively performed best in Europe.
