October 11 – In a key development, Juventus have been readmitted to the European Club Association (ECA) after Italy’s most storied club failed in its bid to create a breakaway European Super League.
Juve were one of the last remaining rebels pushing for the creation of a breakaway Super League and had abandoned the ECA in the process.
The Super League concept was launched in April 2021 but quickly evaporated in the wake of a fan backlash and threats from both UEFA and FIFA.
Juve, at the time chaired by Super League crusader (and former ECA chief) Andrea Agnelli, intended to be one of 12 founder clubs alongside the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and a clutch of teams from England’s Premier League.
“I am pleased to welcome Juventus back to our family. Now, all top division clubs in over 20 countries are ECA members,” ECA chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who is also president of Paris Saint-Germain, said during the ECA’s just concluded General Assembly in Athens.
Since the original Super League project failed, Agnelli has been hit with two lengthy bans from Italian football after the country’s football federation found him and Juventus guilty of a series of financial offences.
The Super League project is still technically alive and now being driven by a company named A22 Sports Management, who are promoting a revamped version with 64 teams playing in three divisions.
In December last year the European Union’s Court of Justice ruled that a ban of the Super League enforced by the sport’s existing governing bodies was against EU law.
But there has been little movement in the months since to get the idea off the ground and Juve have now clearly realised they are better served returning to the bosom of Europe’s umbrella club organisation that has grown to more than 700 clubs.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734932790labto1734932790ofdlr1734932790owedi1734932790sni@w1734932790ahsra1734932790w.wer1734932790dna1734932790