The executives at the meeting were, clockwise from top left: Chelsea’s Bruce Buck, Manchester City’s Ferran Soriano, Manchester United’s Ed Woodward, Arsenal’s Ivan Gazidis and Liverpool’s Ian Ayre. Composite: Michael Regan/The FA via Getty Images; Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images; Micha Theiner/City AM/Rex/Shutterstock; Paul Greenwood/BPI/Rex/ShutterstockThe Premier League’s self-styled leading clubs have denied discussing a breakaway European Super League but have admitted to meeting over changes to the format of the Champions League.
Executives from the so-called “big five” of Manchester United,
Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool were seen leaving a
meeting with representatives of the American billionaire Stephen Ross,
the creator of the pre-season International Champions Cup, at the
Dorchester hotel in London’s Park Lane on Tuesday.
According to a report in the Sun, the executives were holding discussions with Ross’s company Relevent Sports over the formation of a European Super League. However, the clubs were adamant that a rival to the Champions League was not on the agenda and that discussions centred around whether to alter the format of existing European competitions along with their participation in the International Champions Cup.
Arsenal confirmed that the meeting took place but insisted. “We are strongly opposed to any breakaway. Not Arsenal, nor any clubs at the meeting, are seeking changes to the Premier League and European landscape and no conversations surrounding displacing the Premier League or starting a European Super League took place. Discussions were primarily around the ICC and formats of European competitions that would complement the existing Premier League.”
It is understood that Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool are taking a similar line and are insistent that a breakaway was not on the agenda.
Those seen leaving the meeting with Ross were Ed Woodward, the executive vice-chairman at Old Trafford, the Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck, Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis, City chief executive Ferran Soriano and Liverpool chief executive Ian Ayre.
Ross, an American real estate developer who has an estimated wealth of more than £3bn, owns the Miami Dolphins and originated the pre-season International Champions Cup in the United States, Chia and Australia.
The tournament began in 2013 and last year featured Real Madrid, Manchester City, Roma, Milan, Internazionale, Manchester United, Barcelona, Chelsea, Benfica, Fiorentina and Paris Saint-Germain.
The Melbourne lineup for 2016 has just been announced, with Atlético Madrid taking on Tottenham, Juventus and the A-League champions Melbourne Victory at the MCG in July.
Uefa said it had no concrete proposals to change the format of its European competitions but was regularly reviewing the situation.
A spokesman said: “We are constantly reviewing the formats of our competitions in consultations with stakeholders and also with the ECA [European Club Association]. At the moment, there are no concrete proposals on the table. We have just gone into a new three-year cycle for Champions League and Europa League, so we cannot offer any further comment at this stage.”
The Premier League said it had no comment to make when contacted on Wednesday.
According to a report in the Sun, the executives were holding discussions with Ross’s company Relevent Sports over the formation of a European Super League. However, the clubs were adamant that a rival to the Champions League was not on the agenda and that discussions centred around whether to alter the format of existing European competitions along with their participation in the International Champions Cup.
Arsenal confirmed that the meeting took place but insisted. “We are strongly opposed to any breakaway. Not Arsenal, nor any clubs at the meeting, are seeking changes to the Premier League and European landscape and no conversations surrounding displacing the Premier League or starting a European Super League took place. Discussions were primarily around the ICC and formats of European competitions that would complement the existing Premier League.”
It is understood that Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool are taking a similar line and are insistent that a breakaway was not on the agenda.
Those seen leaving the meeting with Ross were Ed Woodward, the executive vice-chairman at Old Trafford, the Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck, Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis, City chief executive Ferran Soriano and Liverpool chief executive Ian Ayre.
Ross, an American real estate developer who has an estimated wealth of more than £3bn, owns the Miami Dolphins and originated the pre-season International Champions Cup in the United States, Chia and Australia.
The tournament began in 2013 and last year featured Real Madrid, Manchester City, Roma, Milan, Internazionale, Manchester United, Barcelona, Chelsea, Benfica, Fiorentina and Paris Saint-Germain.
The Melbourne lineup for 2016 has just been announced, with Atlético Madrid taking on Tottenham, Juventus and the A-League champions Melbourne Victory at the MCG in July.
Uefa said it had no concrete proposals to change the format of its European competitions but was regularly reviewing the situation.
A spokesman said: “We are constantly reviewing the formats of our competitions in consultations with stakeholders and also with the ECA [European Club Association]. At the moment, there are no concrete proposals on the table. We have just gone into a new three-year cycle for Champions League and Europa League, so we cannot offer any further comment at this stage.”
The Premier League said it had no comment to make when contacted on Wednesday.
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