Paris Saint-Germain’s Qatari president Nasser Al-Khelaifi (R) and Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo attend the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and FC Bayern Munich at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, on April 13, 2021. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser al-Khelaifi said Tuesday that any proposal to launch the European Super League without the support of UEFA was “driven by self-interest”.
Al-Khelaifi was speaking after being re-elected to the UEFA Executive Committee as European Club Association (ECA) representative for an additional three-year term of office.
“We believe that any proposal without the support of UEFA — an organisation that has been working to progress the interests of European football for nearly 70 years — does not resolve the issues currently facing the football community, but is instead driven by self-interest,” the PSG boss said.
Saying that European football was “at a pivotal moment”, the Qatari added: “Paris Saint-Germain holds the firm belief that football is a game for everyone.
“I have been consistent on this since the very beginning. As a football club, we are a family and a community; whose fabric is our fans — I believe we shouldn’t forget this.”
Al-Khelaifi added, however, that there was a “clear need to advance the existing UEFA competition model, presented by UEFA yesterday and concluding 24 months’ of extensive and collaborative consultation across the whole European football landscape”.
“Paris Saint-Germain will continue to work with UEFA, the European Club Association and all stakeholders of the football family — based on the principles of good faith, dignity and respect for all.”
Twelve powerful clubs — six from England, and three each from Spain and Italy — have signed up for the Super League, which offers guaranteed spots for its founding members and billions of dollars in payments.
Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are the English clubs involved, together with Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid from Spain and Italian trio Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan.
PSG were conspicuous by their absence, along with reigning European champions Bayern Munich.