Super League rebels boost PSG chief al-Khelaifi at European Clubs Association

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser al-Khelaifi will go into this first general assembly next month as boss of the European Clubs Association (ECA) with nine of the 12 European Super League (ESL) clubs back in the fold of the established order of football administration.

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who last week sanctioned the signing of Lionel Messi, took over as chairman of the European Clubs Association following the departure of Andrea Agnelli to set up the European Super League. REUTERS - SARAH MEYSSONNIER

All six of the English sides - Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur as well as AC Milan, Internazionale and Atlético Madrid agreed to rejoin the ECA following their ill-fated decision to launch a breakaway competition.

Only Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus remain committed to the ESL project.

Next month's general assembly in Geneva is expected to discuss the state of finances in European football in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Delegates are also likely to approve measures to prevent a repeat of April's breakaway attempt.

Request

In accepting their request to rejoin the organisation, the ECA said the nine clubs had acknowledged the ESL was not in the interests of the wider football community. 

“The board’s decision marks the end of a regrettable and turbulent episode for European football and aligns with ECA’s relentless focus to strengthen unity in European football,” the ECA said.

Al-Khelaifi took over as ECA chairman after the resignation of Andrea Agnelli to promote the Super League. Al-Khelaifi’s PSG and Bayern Munich were notably absent from the roster of teams who presented the league as a direct competitor to the Champions League.

“Through this period of unprecedented challenge, ECA has firmly established itself as the only organisation through which the leading clubs in Europe can promote and protect their interests in football, whilst also developing the competition landscape and reinforcing the centrality of clubs in the governance of European football, the ECA added.

Uefa, European football’s governing body, had threatened to eject the clubs from last season’s Champions League when details of the ESL emerged. National football associations also threatened their participation in the domestic leagues.

Competition

Of the English teams, only Arsenal and Tottenham will not play in this season’s Uefa Champions League.

Chelsea feature in the competition as defending champions. PSG, beaten finalists in 2020, will be able to field a starry forward line-up after drafting in Lionel Messi.

The former Barcelona star will join up with nearly 500 million euros worth of talent in the shape of Brazil international Neymar, France World Cup winner Kylian Mbappé and Argentina winger Angel Di Maria.