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A European Super League is a reckless adventure for rich clubs

The proposal promoted by the ECA (European Club Association) and richest clubs on the continent will undermine domestic leagues, but that isn't the only objection that this initiative throws up. The project claims to replace the existing Champions League for a league system with mixed groups which will ultimately lead to a Final Eight sides to battle it out for the title. More games between Europe's elite and what we'll eventually see is that the likes of matches between Real Madrid-Manchester United or a Barça-Bayern Munich becoming run of the mill fixtures and become games that lose their current big game status and aura.

Manchester United's Harry Maguire during the English League Cup, EFL Cup quarter-final football match between Everton and Manchester United on December 23, 2020 at Goodison Park in Liverpool, England - Photo Terry Donnelly / Colorsport / DPPI
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Manchester United's Harry Maguire during the English League Cup, EFL Cup quarter-final football match between Everton and Manchester United on December 23, 2020 at Goodison Park in Liverpool, England - Photo Terry Donnelly / Colorsport / DPPIAFP7 vía Europa Press

Final eight

The proposal also plans to select those clubs who dominate their domestic leagues and teams who generally perform well in the Champions League. A European Super League would see pressure on these sides to finish in this Final Eight mini-tournament and indeed would act as a spur for involved clubs but at a cost of making all other games somewhat inconsequential with all the emotion surrounding the importance of finishing eighth or above. We've seen how in basketball leagues with a similar system, there is an abundance of games where teams win little for a victory and lose little for a defeat. Football should not embark on this path.

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - FC Barcelona v Athletic Bilbao - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - June 23, 2020 Barcelona's Lionel Messi during the warm up before the match, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus d
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Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - FC Barcelona v Athletic Bilbao - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - June 23, 2020 Barcelona's Lionel Messi during the warm up before the match, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus dALBERT GEAREUTERS

Rich getting richer

The Champions League was a competition that emerged from the old European Cup where the champions of every domestic league participated. UEFA have now been flexible for the continent's more powerful leagues to have more representatives with poorer leagues becoming more and more ostracised from participating in the competition as richer clubs on the continent hoover up talent irrespective of the player's age as greed takes hold. I really see little sense in the ECA proposal and it will only create an artificial paradise for a handful of clubs and it's suggestion that it will replace the Champions League already carves out a path of reckless adventure.