The European Super League was in ruins on Tuesday night after all six English clubs dramatically withdrew from the breakaway competition, less than 48 hours after its launch. Chelsea were the first to pull out, followed by Manchester City and then, shortly before 11pm, by Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham, leaving the £4.5bn project dead in the water.
The U-turns followed a furious backlash from fans and the government, and left the reputations of the clubs' owners at an all-time low. Manchester United's executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward, a key architect of the planned breakaway, resigned after his position became untenable.
While most clubs issued brief statements acknowledging their decision, Arsenal admitted that the response from fans had given them “time for further reflection and deep thought”. In a statement, the club said: “We made a mistake, and we apologise for it.” Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy also apologised, saying: “We regret the anxiety and upset caused by the ESL proposal.”
The withdrawal of the English clubs left only half of the original 12 founder members. Italian giants Milan and Internazionale were reportedly considering leaving, with Juventus and Spanish trio Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid and Barcelona the last standing. In the early hours of Wednesday, the Super League vowed to “reshape the project”, pausing it but insisting it could still go ahead.
Earlier, Prime Minister Boris Johnson had warned that the government would “drop a legislative bomb” to stop the competition. Chelsea's decision emerged amid protests by around 1,000 fans and after players told chairman Bruce Buck they would not want to play if banned from international football. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola had also admitted he was not in favour, saying: “It is not a sport where the relation between the effort and the success, the effort and the reward, does not exist.”
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin welcomed City back to the “European football family” and later praised all six clubs for admitting their mistake. “It is admirable to admit a mistake and these clubs made a big mistake,” he said. “But they are back in the fold now and I know they have a lot to offer.”
