Real seek ‘substantial damages’ over Super League ruling

After losing a court case over the lackedluster European Super League, Real Madrid will seek “substantial damages” from Uefa.

A May 2024 decision was upheld by a ruling from the Provincial Court of Madrid on Wednesday.

In that decision, FIFA discovered that La Liga, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), and Uefa were engaging in anti-competitive behavior and were abusing their position of authority by forbidding teams from joining the breakaway league.

The most recent ruling, according to Uefa, “necessitates” the Super League project and does not “refuse” Uefa’s current authorisation guidelines.”

Real Madrid applauds the regional court’s decision to dismiss the appeals made by Uefa, the RFEF, and La Liga, confirming that the Super League’s actions gravely violated European Union competition laws and violated its position, according to the 15-time European champions’ statement.

However, Uefa stated in a statement that “these rules ensure that any cross-border competitions are evaluated on objective, transparent, non-discriminatory, and proportionate criteria.”

This development comes after the European Parliament reiterated its opposition to “breakaway competitions” by reaffirming its position in a landmark resolution this month.

“Uefa will carefully review the decision before making any further adjustments,” the statement states.

Uefa added that it will continue to “protect the protection of the football pyramid” and that it is “firmly committed to the European sports model, built on sporting merit, open access, solidarity, and the preservation of the unity of European football.”

La Liga reiterated its “firm commitment” to the “integrity and stability of national competitions” and “respect for the European Union’s competition rules, despite the Provincial Court’s decision.

This decision, according to its president Javier Tebas, does not in any way represent an endorsement of Super League or other formats. It merely reiterates the importance of transparent and objective regulation.

The breakaway competition’s signings for 12 clubs, including Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham, were the start of the European Super League saga in April 2021.

Fans, other European leagues, and even the government were outraged, and the plans were immediately voided.

Don’t anticipate the European Super League project to resurface as a result of today’s court ruling.

The only remaining members of the original 12 who were prepared to leave the Champions League are Real Madrid and Barcelona, roughly. After the backlash from its supporters effectively led to its collapse, English clubs refused to play it again, while Paris St-Germain and other German clubs immediately opposed it.

Whatever the La Liga champion might say, Madrid have been engaged in what has always been a losing battle. They have continued to go through the courts to “work for the good of global football and fans,” as Madrid put it. Or, as it appears, a portion of compensation.

The parties’ responses to the original ruling, which led to today’s appeal, have remained essentially the same as they did in May of 2024. Madrid will agree with them that the European Super League should have been allowed to continue, but Uefa will contend that it doesn’t offer any of that support.

The answer is somewhere in between. In addition to the European Court of Justice, Uefa has lost a number of court cases that have resulted in unlawful rulings. The European Super League is dead in the water, and it was always going to be, but Wednesday’s decision rubberstamps that once more.

Any decision based on a 2021 decision is irrelevant because Uefa insists its regulations have been revised twice in recent years.