Another nail has been hammered into the Super League coffin after Barcelona rejoined the European Football Clubs (EFC).
The re-entry of the Catalan giants was confirmed today at the group’s general assembly in Rome – and means Real Madrid are now the only major club still backing the breakaway project.
Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who is also the chairman of the EFC (formerly ECA) welcomed Barcelona president Joan Laporta back into the fold in a speech to around 1,000 execs from clubs across the continent.
‘Today, I also welcome back a special guest,’ the Qatari said. ‘A friend for a long time but sometimes friends can disagree, that is normal – but they always come back together for the greater good.
‘He has brought his club back to life – both on the pitch with an amazing young team, and off the pitch with an amazing new stadium. The President of Barcelona, Joan Laporta, please join me in welcoming him back to the family.’
Barcelona were among those who withdrew from the ECA in 2021 to form the subsequently abandoned Super League.
While such a project is unlikely to be reignited, the EFC – viewed as the voice of the clubs – has worked closely with UEFA on the new Champions League format and its revenue model in a move which appears to have appeased the continent’s top sides. Teams are now guaranteed eight matches instead of six and there are now 64 more matches to sell to broadcasters.
TV rights to European competitions are due to go out to tender, with US-based Relevent Sports handling the process.
As Daily Mail Sport reported yesterday, the hope is to bring in yearly revenues of around £4.3bn a year with streaming giants such as Netflix or Amazon being targeted.
