Lawyers for the Champions League’s short-lived rival Super League condemned the “monopoly” motives of European football’s governing body (UEFA) at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg (CJEU) on Monday.
The dispute over the alleged abuse of the UEFA chief’s post is being heard by the CJEU on Monday and Tuesday. A decision is not expected before the end of 2022 or the beginning of 2023.
The court is hearing the case at the request of a Madrid judge.
“We are here to defend the freedoms that make the European Union a unique jurisdiction in the world,” said Miguel Odriozola Allen, defending the Spanish-based Super League company, which proposes to fight against anti-economic practices. Is.”
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He criticized UEFA, which had helped prevent “rebellious” clubs from embarking on the adventure for being a “monopolistic entity” that “should not be able to assert itself of regulatory powers in a market in which it is”. is in competition”.
The Super League, a competition limited to 12 major European clubs, was announced with great fanfare in April 2021. But due to fan fury and the threat of political action, the deal fell through within 48 hours as nine clubs withdrew.
The three clubs that have refused to abandon the project, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus, are challenging UEFA’s threat of sanctions in a separate action in a Spanish court.
For UEFA, “a league closed to the richest clubs is inconsistent with the European sporting model, which is based on merit,” its lawyer Donald Slater said on Monday.
He argued that the Swiss-based organization was “not seeking to maximize its income” but rather “through the application of general rules … to ensure that sport fulfills social functions in accordance with European treaties.” “.
The stakes go far beyond the Super League, and even beyond football.
On Monday, on appeal, the CJEU settled another dispute between the International Skating Federation and two Dutch speed skaters whom it wanted to ban for life for preventing them from participating in South Korean private competition.
That project was nipped in the bud by the athletes’ reluctance to take such a risk.
Earlier on Monday, 15 European supporters’ associations, including fan groups from France, Spain, England and Germany, issued a joint statement reiterating their “opposition” for the Super League, which they called “a potential threat to European football”. .
“The project is a billionaire’s concept. It is anti-competitive in nature and, if implemented, would destroy the key principles on which the European model is based, such as sports merit, promotion and relegation, of success.” for Europe through qualification (in competitions at the national level) and financial solidarity,” the statement said.
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