European Super League will NOT go ahead after Premier League Big Six withdrew

The estranged British wife of the Italian football boss and Fiat family billionaire Andrea Agnelli has given him a gentle kicking online as he finally admitted his ‘beautiful’ European Super League is sunk. 

Emma Winter Agnelli, 43, split with Andrea after 11 years when her husband was accused of having an affair with Turkish model Deniz Akalin, 37, who he was spotted kissing at a restaurant in his native Turin.

Ms Winter Agnelli, who lives in Milan with their two children, Baya, 15, and Giacomo, eight, has taken a gentle swipe at Agnelli on social media as his football dreams lay in ruins today.

The English-born artist and designer replied to a tweet originally sent by former Manchester United star Gary Neville castigating claims by football chiefs who said the ESL would benefit ‘everyone’. She said cheekily: ‘Well you know who to discuss (this) with’, suggesting Agnelli was the mastermind.

Emma and Andrea were married at the church of San Pietro in Vincoli in Piedmont, south of Turin, the northern Italian city home to Juventus and the headquarters of Fiat, founded by his great-grandfather Giovanni Agnelli in 1899. The family business, which also owns Ferrari, is worth $10billion with the Agnelli’s nicknamed as ‘the Kennedys of Italy’ because of their influence over business, politics, sport and art in the country.

They were seen as one of the glamour couples of Italy, regulars at Milan Fashion Week, before they separated in 2016. Oxford-educated Mr Agnelli has settled down with Turkish socialite Deniz Akalin, 37, the woman he was accused of having an affair with. Deniz is a model and businesswoman who studied at the Lycée and Princeton, becoming an art history expert, a passion of the Agnelli family. 

But her boyfriend could now be forced out as chairman of Juventus after the ESL collapsed. A ‘dirty dozen’ joined up to the breakaway tournament late on Sunday night with an £8million signing on fee - but the move caused fury with fans, politicians, rival clubs and even the future king Prince William fighting to stop it. 

Meanwhile, Mr Agnelli today blamed Brexit for the collapse of the hated £4.3billion plan as English fans demanded the heads of the ‘traitor’ owners and chief executives of England’s ‘Big 6’ clubs. 

The plan collapsed last night when Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man United, Arsenal and Spurs all pulled out. 

Asked whether the project could still happen after the exits, Agnelli told Reuters this morning: ‘To be frank and honest no, evidently that is not the case. I remain convinced of the beauty of that project,’ said Agnelli, stating it would have created the best competition in the world. ‘But admittedly … I mean, I don’t think that that project is now still up and running.’

When asked about his own conduct where he was branded a ‘snake’, he said: ‘I don’t think our industry is a particularly sincere, trustworthy or reliable one in general’. 

He also claimed that Boris Johnson’s opposition to the idea was a ‘political scheme’ fuelled by suspicion of the EU.

Downing Street has rejected the extraordinary claim, saying Mr Johnson’s promise to drop a ‘legislative bomb’ to stop English clubs joining the Super League was for the good of football and the fans.

But the Juventus boss insisted that he had heard ‘speculation’ that ‘if six (English) teams would have broken away and would have threatened the Premier League, politics would have seen that as an attack to Brexit and their political scheme.’

Responding this afternoon Mr Johnson’s spokesman said: ‘I would reject that. The Prime Minister was very clear on why it was right for the Government to step in and take action that contributed to these clubs stepping back from this proposal, which was the importance of football at the heart of communities up and down the country.’

Despite the denial, experts have said that Brexit may have helped Mr Johnson’s case, after it emerged new powers since leaving the EU would have allowed him to stop ‘Big 6’ players getting work and travel visas. He also had the chance to impose a ‘non-dodgeable’ windfall tax equating to 100% of their TV revenues for football clubs joining after the divorce from Brussels, it was claimed. 

When asked about the conduct of the rich owners behind the plan, he said: ‘I don’t think our industry is a particularly sincere, trustworthy or reliable one in general’.

However, the Juventus chief and heir to the Fiat fortune said yesterday the league would ‘100% go’ ahead because the rebel clubs from England, Spain and Italy had signed 23-year contracts ‘in blood’. 

But in the space of three hours last night Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham all pulled out leaving the £4.3billion project in ruins.

Agnelli gave an awkward interview hyping up the European Super League and describing a ‘blood pact’ between all 12 founder clubs – just moments before the much-maligned venture was suspended. 

Tuesday’s twist, a relief to every football fan across Europe, came just moments after Juve chairman Agnelli continued to talk up the project.

‘There is a blood pact between the clubs, we are going forward,’ Agnelli said in an interview with Italian paper La Repubblica.

‘This project has a 100 per cent possibility of success.’

Downing Street also dismissed a suggestion from Andrea Agnelli, the chairman of Juventus and a vice-chairman of the Super League, that the Government’s opposition to the plan was linked to Brexit.

He told Reuters that if the breakaway competition had threatened the English Premier League it ‘would have seen that as an attack to Brexit and their political scheme’.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘I would reject that.

‘The Prime Minister was very clear on why it was right for the Government to step in and take action that contributed to these clubs stepping back from this proposal, which was the importance of football at the heart of communities up and down the country.’

His admission that his dream was over came hours after as Liverpool’s American billionaire boss John W Henry apologised for the ‘hurt’ caused by plans to join the hated European Super League but vowed not to sell up as the Premier League considers how to punish the rebels with fans baying for blood and demanding the heads of their ‘traitor’ owners and chief executives.

The businessman, who also owns the Boston Red Sox, also said sorry to the club’s manager Jürgen Klopp and his players as the £4.3billion proposal crumbled when England’s ‘Big 6’ were forced to pull out amid mass protests outside their stadiums and Boris Johnson threatening to change the law to stop it.

The Big Six rebels have each lost £8million they each paid to sign to the doomed ESL, which ended in a humiliating defeat last night where they all caved in in the space of three hours last night.

After 72 hours of silence, Henry became the first ‘greedy’ club owner to speak out as fans called for heads to roll and threatened coups to overthrow the billionaires accused of trying to destroy England’s 132-year-old football pyramid.

His apology is seen as an attempt to convince the Premier League not to give them a points deduction as his team battles to get into the Champions League and try to protect his own position at the reigning Premier League champions.

But in a sign that they will face severe punishment, Crystal Palace co-owner Steve Parish, one of the 14 Premier League clubs not involved, said today: ‘Make no mistake… this was an attempted coup, an attempt to steal football’. Brighton chief executive Paul Barber has called on the Premier League to take immediate action, saying: ‘There’s a lot of bridges that now need to be rebuilt and it needs to be the six clubs back to the 14’.

In a video message shared on the Liverpool website, Mr Henry, worth £2billion ($2.8 billion) said: ‘I want to apologise to all the fans and supporters of Liverpool Football Club for the disruption I caused over the past 48 hours.

‘It goes without saying but should be said that the project put forward was never going to stand without the support of the fans. No-one ever thought differently in England. Over these 48 hours you were very clear that it would not stand. We heard you. I heard you’.

Bookies yesterday made Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp favourite to be the next Premier League boss to resign after he expressed his displeasure about the plans and club captain Jordan Henderson set up an emergency meeting with Premier League captains as players threatened insurrection. 

Manchester United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, believed to have brokered the deal backed by £4.3billion in loans from JP Morgan, his former employer, resigned last night as his billionaire boss Joel Glazer attempted the rescue his reputation. But the club’s supporters are calling for Glazer to sell up and fans of Manchester City, Spurs, Liverpool and Arsenal are also threatening to topple their mainly-foreign owners. 

Chelsea fans delayed kick off having blocked the path of their team’s coach as it tried to get into Stamford Bridge for the game with Brighton last night, forcing former goalkeeper Petr Cech to plead with them to move. Many held up banners calling for Bruce Buck, their American chairman, to be fired by Roman Abramovich.

There are also calls for the heads of the men in grey suits at the other clubs: Man City’s chief executive Ferran Soriano, Arsenal’s chief executive Vinai Venkatesham, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and Liverpool’s chief executive Billy Hogan. 

Attempting to repair some of the damage at his own club, John Henry said:  ‘I want to apologise to Jürgen, Billy (Hogan) to the players and to everyone who works so hard at LFC to make our fans proud. They have absolutely no responsibility for this disruption. They were the most disrupted and unfairly so. This is what hurts most. They love your club and work to make you proud every single day’.  

He added: ‘If there’s one thing this horrible pandemic has clearly shown, it’s how crucial fans are to our sport and to every sport. It’s shown in every empty stadium. It’s been an incredibly tough year for all of us; virtually no-one unaffected. It’s important that the Liverpool football family remains intact, vital and committed to what we’ve seen from you globally, with local gestures of kindness and support. I can promise you I will do whatever I can to further that’.

In a bid to appease furious fans, Arsenal issued grovelling apology to its supporters, who yesterday protested outside the club’s ground with fans calling for their American owner Stan Kroenke to quit. ‘We made a mistake, and we apologise for it’, it said in a statement. 

The other clubs issued anodyne statements last night as their ‘coup’ collapsed, with their supporters demanding fulsome apologies today.

All options are on the table when it comes to punishing the Big Six – but the likelihood is that a rule change to prevent them from ever repeating the trick is the most likely next step by the Premier League, MailOnline understands. Ahead of the mass withdrawals, penalties were discussed at the hastily-arranged meeting of the other 14 yesterday. Points deductions, fines, relegation and bans on players were all raised. 

As the billionaire ‘Big 6’ owners scrambled to save their own skins, it also emerged today:

• Exclusive: The Big Six rebels have lost tens of millions between them in their disastrous attempts to set up a European Super League. Sportsmail has learned that the ‘dirty dozen’ bought stakes of around £8million each, which is now down the toilet;
• Juventus chief Agnelli admits that Super League can no longer go ahead after six English clubs withdrew, hours after saying the league will ‘100%’ go ahead with deals ‘signed in blood’; 
• The Premier League is considering how to punish the clubs and is considering points deductions, fines, relegation and bans on players after the clubs broke the league’s rules. Uefa is also pondering how to punish the rebels;
• Crystal Palace co-owner Steve Parish hints at punishment, saying: ‘Make no mistake… this was an attempted coup, an attempt to steal football’. Brighton chief executive Paul Barber has called on the Premier League to now take ‘appropriate action’;
• UK government and football leaders expected to push through reforms to prevent a coup of this nature happening again; 
• Ed Woodward resigned from his role as Manchester United’s executive vice-chairman as clubs’s stock market value plunged by around £150million as Super League plans he helped cook up collapsed;
• American bank JP Morgan, the main investors in the league in deal with Woodward at its centre, is picking up the pieces of its reputation in UK and Europe after brokering the finances of the hated League; 
• Six of the 12 clubs remain signed up to the Super League, including Spanish giants Real Madrid – whose president Florentino Perez chairs the breakaway organisation – Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. They coul choose to sue English teams for breach of the 23-year contracts signed;

The Big Six rebels have lost tens of millions between them in their disastrous attempts to set up a European Super League, which ended in a humiliating defeat last night. 

Sportsmail has learned that the 12 Founding Clubs who announced the venture on Sunday evening purchased equity stakes of around £8million each in the Super League, which its creators ultimately hoped to turn into global competition that would dominate club football.

For Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and Manchester United’s outgoing chairman Ed Woodward the ESL was just the first step in their vision for creating a global franchise, with the prospect of setting up similar invitation-only Super Leagues in South America, Asia and Africa at some point in the future under consideration if the initial European tournament went well. 

There were even discussions about potentially creating a World Championship involving winners of the various continental leagues in a direct challenge to FIFA’s Club World Cup, which was founded 21 years ago and the world governing body are planning to expand.

The equity stakes purchased by the 12 rebel clubs were being used to create the new competition’s infrastructure and fund crucial roles such as negotiating with potential broadcasters, commercial partners and pay legal fees.

It is unclear how much of the money has been spent, and if any of it will be returned now the ESL has collapsed less than three days after its launch, which was confirmed this morning when Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli said that the competition could no longer proceed without the six Premier League clubs.

Asked whether the project could still happen after the exits, Agnelli told Reuters: ‘To be frank and honest no, evidently that is not the case. I remain convinced of the beauty of that project. But admittedly I don’t think that that project is now still up and running.’

The Premier League’s Big Six could also be forced to pay compensation to the six other European Founding Clubs for breaking a clause in the ESL’s 23-year contract which stated they could not leave for its first three years, but given the competition’s swift and spectacular implosion it is unclear whether the clause will be enforced.

Top flight rules state that clubs should ‘act in good faith’ and this was clearly a serious breach.

However – and importantly – there was very much the shared view that the six clubs themselves were not at fault and that their owners – rather than players and staff – should be targeted.

What happens next remains to be seen, but the overriding initial emotion will be one of relief, rather than vengeance.

Draconian measures such as relegation are unlikely, as the competition knows the benefits the Big Six bring.

Instead, expect moves to be made to reinforce the top flight’s rules and ensure no such breakaway attempt can happen again.

That is not to say there will not be other ramifications.

The presence of Big Six representatives on Premier League commercial and broadcast working groups triggered outrage – and a deep suspicion that they had been squirrelling away information to use for breakaway purposes. Those involved may well find themselves booted off such groups. Trust, according to one insider ‘is at an all-time low’.

The six may also end up having to explain themselves to a parliamentary committee. While there may be little penalty, a public grilling by MPs could make for an uncomfortable and embarrassing hour or so. 

Brighton chief executive Paul Barber has called on the Premier League to now take appropriate action against the ‘Big Six’ clubs who sought to break away to the European Super League.

The doomed project came crashing down on Tuesday night after Chelsea and Manchester City started the exodus, leading the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool into humiliating apologies .

Now, the 14 clubs in the Premier League who would have been badly impacted by the plans are now awaiting footballing bodies to assess the situation and make a call on the steps that should be done next.

For Barber, whose Brighton team earned a valuable point against Chelsea on Tuesday evening at Stamford Bridge, a full review must take place.

Barber told BBC Radio Four’s Today programme: ‘It’s been a very difficult 72 hours and the FA and Premier League now need to review what’s happened, who was responsible, the damage it’s done to the game over the last 72 hours and take the appropriate action.

‘I think there’s real disappointment and many of the people involved, people we count as colleagues, we have worked with for many years.

‘I think this hasn’t just happened over 72 hours, it’s been weeks and months in planning and that feels very disappointing.

‘There’s a lot of bridges that now need to be rebuilt and it needs to be the six clubs back to the 14,’ he added.  

Crystal Palace co-owner Steve Parish said: ‘Make no mistake… this was an attempted coup, an attempt to steal football. The fans fought for the right to lose yesterday. You know, they said they don’t want victory without the jeopardy and the risk of losing, it’s meaningless to them.

‘And they don’t want to be part of a gilded elite with no relegation and no promotion The fans the players, the managers that came out against it all of them must deserve high praise these things were dreamed up by people, not by football clubs’.

Boris Johnson threatened to drop a ‘legislative bomb’ to stop English clubs joining the Super League.

After all six clubs pulled out, Mr Johnson tweeted: ‘I welcome last night’s announcement. This is the right result for football fans, clubs, and communities across the country. We must continue to protect our cherished national game.’

Labour leader Keir Starmer added that this ‘must be a watershed moment, where we change our game to put fans first again’, while Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey tweeted: ‘This must be the start of a fans-led football revolution.’ 

The Prime Minister’s comments follow those behind the League saying they will consider ‘the most appropriate steps to reshape the project’ after the mass withdrawals. 

In an interview with Italian newspaper la Repubblica, Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli said the remaining clubs will ‘press ahead’ and the project still had ‘a 100% chance of being a success’.

But rumours in Italy are Agnelli is set to be axed as the club’s shares plummeted this morning. 

In a statement, the league said: ‘Despite the announced departure of the English clubs, forced to take such decisions due to the pressure put on them, we are convinced our proposal is fully aligned with European law and regulations as was demonstrated today by a court decision to protect the Super League from third party actions.

‘Given the current circumstances, we shall reconsider the most appropriate steps to reshape the project, always having in mind our goals of offering fans the best experience possible while enhancing solidarity payments for the entire football community.’

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the Government has not ruled out the option of appointing an Ofcom-style regulator to oversee football.

Following the collapse of the European Super League, Mr Dowden said it is one of the issues that will be considered by the fan-led review of the game to be chaired by former sports minister Tracey Crouch.

‘The fan-led review will look at this,’ he told LBC Radio.

‘Clearly we have got to get a balance. I want the Government to do as little as it has to do. The game is rightly self-governed, but I do think it is right that we look at governance questions like that, and that will not be off the table.’

Mr Dowden said the review will also consider whether fans should be able to take a stake in their clubs in the way they German fans can.

‘The German clubs didn’t participate in this (Super League) proposal. One of the points that was made to me by fans when the Prime Minister and I met with them yesterday was the fact that there was that financial stake. I think we should look at it,’ he said.

‘International investment in football has been a good thing. It has increased the quality of the game and the players and everything else.

‘I’m not saying we shouldn’t have foreign investment, but I do think it is right that we look at how fans can have a stake in the game.’

In the space of around three hours all six English clubs involved in the European Super League plans dramatically quit the hated competition following a huge backlash from fans

Like dominoes, one-by-one clubs fell back into line with their Premier League rivals, a mere 72 hours after proposing a seismic – and much-maligned – change to the beautiful game. 

In a huge victory for fans, who for days have vented their fury at the proposals, members of the so-called Big Six each released statements – some more grovelling than others – announcing they would be pulling out of the European Super League. 

Already mega-rich Manchester City were first to officially break rank last night by announcing they would turn their back on the £4.6billion proposals. 

Then, in a stunning twist to the saga, Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur suddenly announced they would follow suit.

And Chelsea, who are thought to have been the first to break rank, became the last to formally announce plans to pull out of the proposals. The club released a statement released late last night after their Premier League clash with Brighton.

European clubs such as Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Italian sides AC and Inter Milan later followed in the footsteps of English sides by pulling out of the project.

Uefa chiefs welcomed the return of the European Super League sides, and urged a refocus on the organisation’s flagship club tournament, the Champions League – which is due to be expanded to include more teams from across the continent.

Meanwhile, Boris Johnson, who had earlier described the project as a ‘cartel’ threatened to show the plans the ‘straight red card’, said the decision to quit the breakaway league was ‘the right one’.

The dramatic collapse, which took place over the course of just four hours, led organisers behind the European Super League to announce a suspension to the project. 

But in warning shot that indicated that the saga might not yet be fully over, organisers behind the breakaway competition released a statement saying that ‘status quo of European football needs to change’.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden today welcomed the collapse of the European Super League following the withdrawal of the ‘big six’ English Premier League clubs.

Mr Dowden told Sky News: ‘It is victory for fans. The country has been united in condemning these proposals. The Government has stood firmly behind the footballing authorities in saying we will do whatever it takes to stop this proposal.

‘We were willing to take very bold measures to stop this proposal going ahead. I am very glad that the fans, with the backing of the Government and others, have had their say.’

His boss Boris Johnson had previously warned he was prepared to legislate to block the new league plans, accusing breakaway football clubs of forming ‘a kind of cartel’.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said measures under consideration included preventing players from the clubs involved getting work visas, and the withdrawal of police funding for match days.

The plans for the breakaway league were also ‘unanimously and vigorously’ rejected by the other 14 members of the English top flight following a meeting on Tuesday.

In a statement issued before most clubs had announced their intention to quit the new league, the Football Association (FA) welcomed the news that some clubs were withdrawing their support, highlighting that ‘the game has been unanimous in its disapproval of a closed league’.

It said the proposals ‘could have divided our game, but, instead, it has unified us all’.

The FA’s statement added: ‘We would like to thank the fans in particular for their influential and unequivocal voice during this time, holding true the guiding principles of football. It is a powerful reminder that the game is, and always will be, for fans.’

Under the plan unveiled at the weekend, the six English clubs would have joined six leading Spanish and Italian clubs to set up an alternative competition to the European Champions League.

The proposal attracted particular anger as there would be no relegation from the Super League, regardless of how well clubs do on the field, although five of the best-performing teams from outside the league would be invited to participate each year.

It led to calls for the clubs involved to be expelled from the Premier League amid suggestions that their players could be barred from representing their countries in the World Cup or the European Championship.

It comes as bosses at the so-called ‘Big Six’ clubs earlier held emergency meetings after realising they were alienating their supporters and infuriating politicians with their cynical move. 

In a bid to appease furious fans, Arsenal issued grovelling apology to its supporters, who yesterday protested outside the club’s ground with fans calling for their owner Stan Kroenke to quit. 

In their statement, the north London club said: ‘As a result of listening to you and the wider football community over recent days we are withdrawing from the proposed Super League.

‘We made a mistake, and we apologise for it.’ 

Meanwhile Liverpool, who today faced a social media revolt from its players, including captain Jordan Henderson, said: ‘Liverpool Football Club can confirm that our involvement in proposed plans to form a European Super League has been discontinued.

‘In recent days, the club has received representations from various key stakeholders, both internally and externally, and we would like to thank them for their valuable contributions.’

Liverpool and Manchester United, both owned by American businessmen, were said to be among the driving forces of the project, along with European giants Real Madrid and AC Milan.

Last night United, whose executive vice chairman Ed Woodward announced he would step down amid the row, said the club would not be participating in the league.

However the club said it remained ‘committed’ to coming-up with ‘sustainable solutions to the long-term challenges facing the game’.

The club’s statement read: ‘Manchester United will not be participating in the European Super League.

‘We have listened carefully to the reaction from our fans, the UK government and other key stakeholders.

‘We remain committed to working with others across the football community to come up with sustainable solutions to the long-term challenges facing the game.’

Meanwhile, Tottenham took to Twitter to announce the club would no longer be a part of the Super League proposals.

In a statement, the club said: ‘We can confirm that we have formally commenced procedures to withdraw from the group developing proposals for a European Super League (ESL).’ 

Chelsea, who played Brighton last night in the Premier League, were the last to release a statement.  

‘As reported earlier this evening, Chelsea Football Club can confirm that it has begun the formal procedures for withdrawal from the group developing plans for a European Super League.

‘Having joined the group late last week, we have now had time to consider the matter fully and have decided that our continued participation in these plans would not be in the best interests of the Club, our supporters or the wider football community.’  

The European Super League last night responded by suspending the project.

But it hinted that the row over the future of European football could still rage on in a statement released to the media.

The statement read: ‘The European Super League is convinced that the current status quo of European football needs to change.

‘We are proposing a new European competition because the existing system does not work.

‘We are proposing a new European competition because the existing system does not work. 

‘Our proposal is aimed at allowing the sport to evolve while generating resources and stability for the full football pyramid, including helping to overcome the financial difficulties experienced by the entire football community as a result of the pandemic.

‘It would also provide materially enhanced solidarity payments to all football stakeholders.’

England’s Big Six of City, Chelsea, United, Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool had earlier sparked outrage among much of the footballing world by announcing plans to team up with Spanish giants Atletico, Barcelona, and Real Madrid, and top Italian sides AC and Inter Milan for the new European Super League.

The £4.6billion proposals were first reported on Sunday night, followed by an official joint statement from all 12 clubs.

But, less than 72 hours after the announcement was made, the plans crumbled.

In its statement, Manchester City’s said: ‘Manchester City Football Club can confirm that it has formally enacted the procedures to withdraw from the group developing plans for a European Super League.’ 

News of the sudden change-of-heart came as hundreds of Chelsea fans last night rallied against the club’s involvement in the breakaway plans in a rowdy protest outside Stamford Bridge.

Some held up placards and flares, while others threw bottles as they chanted: ‘We want our Chelsea back.’ 

Another banner demanded that club owner Roman Abramovich ‘do the right thing’. 

Fans blocked the Chelsea team coach’s entry to the stadium, ahead of their Premier League clash against Brighton.

It sparked club legend and current technical director Petr Cech to get out of the coach and speak to supporters in a bid to appease them.

But it was only once news broke that the club could now withdraw from the tournament did fans relent – loudly cheering the decision and the club’s name. 

Other protests had place taken outside Liverpool’s Anfield ground, as well as Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, while Leeds fans were seen burning a Liverpool shirt outside Elland Road ahead of their team’s clash with the Merseyside club. 

Yesterday, in a sign of uncertainty from within the City camp, and foreshadowing the events that would later take place, boss Pep Guardiola laid into the plans.

United striker Marcus Rashford also took aim at the proposals, sharing the quote ‘football is nothing without fans’.

The clubs had hoped to share out a mutlibillion-pound bonanza through a ‘welcome bonus’ of up to £250million per club from the US investment banking giant JP Morgan Chase.

Dubbed the ‘Dirty Dozen’, the rebel clubs would have cashed in indefinitely because the ESL had no relegation. It would have undermined the Champions League and the Premier League, also denying money to lower-ranked clubs and grassroots teams.

Boris Johnson had indicated the Government would try to scupper the competition and described it last night as a ‘cartel’.

The breakaway was launched when the 12 members of the ESL released an explosive statement on Sunday night confirming the creation of ‘a format for top clubs and players to compete on a regular basis’.

The other ‘founding clubs’ which signed up were Italy’s AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus, and Spain’s Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid.

The clubs had hoped to launch the midweek tournament in August. There would have been a mechanism for a further five teams to qualify annually based on achievements in the prior season, making a total of 20.

The plans immediately sparked uproar from supporters, players, politicians and sporting bodies.

Prince William warned of the damage it could do to ‘the game we love’ and insisted the ‘values of competition and fairness’ in sport must be protected.

Comedian and presenter James Corden launched into a six-minute rant about the evils of the ESL on his Late Late Show in America.

The West Ham fan said: ‘I’m heartbroken by it, genuinely heartbroken by it. I’m heartbroken because the owners of these teams have displayed the worst kind of greed I’ve ever seen in sport.’

Former England captain David Beckham wrote on Instagram: ‘We need football to be for everyone. We need football to be fair and we need competitions based on merit. Unless we protect these values the game we love is in danger.’

Hours before last night’s announcements, Beckham’s former England teammate Alan Shearer predicted that some of the clubs involved would be considering their positions as a result of the condemnation.

The striker-turned-pundit said: ‘They have thrown a hand grenade, let’s throw one back and ban them. 

‘When you look at the reaction over the last 36 hours, common sense would tell you that these clubs will have to go away and think ‘Have we really done the right thing here?’.

‘Where are these owners? Why don’t they come out and face the media and tell us why they’ve done it, why they want a closed shop that no one else can get into?’

 

 

Frantic phone calls and firm denials then panic as the news broke… but 48 hours later the Super League was DEAD: The hour-by-hour breakdown of how greedy owners tried and failed to make billions by ruining football

In the space of just 48 hours, the JP Morgan-backed European Super League went from being primed to end football as we know it to meeting its own end in a flurry of big-name clubs pulling out.

‘Betrayals’, ‘snakes’, ‘liars’ – this saga has torn the sport apart, killed relationships between executives who were close friends and will end up costing the teams involved millions in lost revenue as well as the trust of the public and their fans. 

The Super League was a multi-billion dollar idea, years in the making before a row that escalated this week involving football’s most powerful men, the Government, the royal family and the fans who helped bring it down.

Here, Sportsmail breaks down how the Super League built up through secrecy and subterfuge – and then fell apart in a fury.

THURSDAY, APRIL 15

EARLY EVENING 

Manchester United chief executive Ed Woodward calls UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, telling him he’s happy with and supports plans to reform the Champions League and expand from 32 teams to 36.

Woodward, Ceferin says, had in fact already signed a contract to break away and form the Super League. The conversation drifts from backing UEFA’s plans to Financial Fair Play rules, with no hint of discontent from the United end.

At this point, United, Liverpool, Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona lead a group that also includes Tottenham, Arsenal, AC Milan and Inter Milan.

FRIDAY, APRIL 16

MORNING

It’s a big day for UEFA, with their competitions’ committee and the European Clubs Association (ECA) meeting to finalise plans for the Champions League revamp they have spent months arranging.

The ECA meet, with all 12 of the to-be Super League clubs involved, and ‘set aside’ their differences over distribution of prize money – or at least that’s what they told UEFA. 

It’s agreed that the final plans will be rubber-stamped on Monday and the meetings end with UEFA confident they have found an agreement. But they were wrong…

AFTERNOON

With the Super League still a secret, law firm Clifford Chance apply for a trademark for ‘The Super League’ and their new logo in Germany. The clubs are preparing to break cover but it all remains hush-hush for now.

Chelsea and Manchester City agree to join the rebel group and, with that, the 12 teams are strong enough to go it alone – even though the French and German champions PSG and Bayern Munich haven’t signed up.

SATURDAY, APRIL 17

AFTERNOON

Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli speaks with Ceferin. The UEFA president has heard murmurs of a breakaway Super League plot – mooted for years but rarely advanced upon – and wants to speak to someone he trusts.

Ceferin is the godfather to Agnelli’s daughter and the two have worked closely together on the plans for the Champions League changes.

But Agnelli tells his friend: ‘Don’t worry, nothing is going on, I’ll call you in an hour.’ He switches his phone off. There is no further contact.

SUNDAY, APRIL 18 

MORNING

The WhatsApp group made up of chiefs of the ECA clubs across Europe lights up – they are becoming aware of the betrayal of the Super League.

Agnelli is the ECA’s chairman but is also leading the push away from European football’s traditional structure. It’s behaviour that will later see Ceferin call him ‘a snake’.

1.29PM

By now, rumours are publicly circulating about a Super League. Martin Samuel’s report on MailOnline reveals an announcement is coming that evening.

The 12 clubs take a vow of silence. Journalists’ questions aren’t answered and nothing is said.

Elsewhere, there’s panic. UEFA, the Premier League and a host of other bodies release statements threatening breakaway clubs with expulsion from competitions, blocks on players playing for their national teams ahead of this summer’s European Championship.

2.30PM

Gary Lineker posts on Twitter: ‘If this is true it will have huge ramifications on the game. Huge.’ He later adds: ‘Football is nothing without its fans. We’ve seen that clearly over the last 12 months.

‘If fans stand as one against this anti-football pyramid scheme, it can be stopped in its tracks.’

The criticism is rolling in. Gary Neville, commentating on Manchester United’s game against Burnley for Sky Sports, switches into a rant while the game is still going on.

‘The Premier League should be deducted points this season from the big six clubs,’ he says. ‘To do it during the season, it’s a joke. It is an absolute scandal. Manchester United and the rest of the big six clubs should be ashamed of themselves.’

Jamie Carragher, working on the same game, calls his former club Liverpool an ’embarrassment’. Sportsmail’s Micah Richards labels the plans ‘an absolute disgrace’ and Roy Keane says it all ‘comes down to money, greed’.

But it’s far from just a football debate. Boris Johnson calls The Super League ‘very damaging’, Kier Starmer rails against it too.

11.29PM

Two hours later than billed, the clubs release simultaneously release statements.

It reads: ‘Twelve of Europe’s leading football clubs have today come together to announce they have agreed to establish a new mid-week competition, the Super League, governed by its Founding Clubs.’

Despite the Premier League’s expulsion threat, the clubs say they want to remain in their domestic competitions while ditching the Champions League. The will be 20 teams, with two more joining the ‘founders’ and five qualifying through merit each season.

Real Madrid’s Florentino Perez is the chairman, Italian power-broker Agnelli is a vice-chairman along with Man United’s American owner Joel Glazer. 

United, bizarrely, don’t tweet about their involvement. But all 12 clubs publicly announce their involvement. The feedback from fans online is deafeningly negative.

MONDAY, APRIL 19 

9AM

If anyone wasn’t taking the Super League seriously, they are now. The 12 clubs send a letter to FIFA and UEFA, issuing notice of legal proceedings in European courts to block any sanctions they try to place on them.

Meanwhile, Agnelli leads the ECA exodus. He resigns, so does Woodward. Representatives of every Super League club quit. 

10.04AM 

Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich confirm they won’t be joining the Super League, they are sticking by the ECA’s agreements and following the wishes of their fans.

Amid the furore, Tottenham sack Jose Mourinho. What would usually be one of the biggest stories around will barely make the back pages that night. 

11.32AM

PSG’s former Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera is the first footballer to publicly speak out against the Super League. He says it will ‘end dreams’.

Mesut Ozil, the former Arsenal playmaker now at Fenerbahce, also speaks out. In the wider football world there are dissenting voices from Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger. But players and managers at the clubs involved stay silent.

1.30PM

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is first up to comment on the Super League, being quizzed on it at his press conference before their Tuesday night game against Brighton.

‘I trust my club to make the right decisions, I think it is too early to judge…’, he says. Most managers take a similar fence-sitting position and suggest the big questions are directed at their employers. Chelsea end Tuchel’s newspaper briefing after one question with reporters refusing to stop asking about the Super League.

1.49PM

Man United’s Bruno Fernandes is the first Super League star to speak out against it, posting: ‘Dreams can’t be bought’ in an Instagram post, while sharing the sentiments of Wolves winger Daniel Podence.

Podence had posted about some of the Champions League’s most famous moments, backing UEFA rather than the breakaway league.

2PM

Ceferin, by now absolutely fuming at the ‘betrayal’, holds a press call. Woodward and Agnelli are openly called out as ‘snakes’ and ‘liars’.

‘I was criminal lawyer for 24 years but I’ve never seen people like that,’ he says. The threats of being expelled from the Champions League, Europa League and domestic leagues are repeated.

‘Football is not all corrupt. Just a small part, led by greed and people who don’t care about anything else.’ 

5PM 

The Government say they will do ‘whatever it takes’ to stop England’s Big Six clubs splitting off into a new league.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden tells the House of Commons: ‘But be in no doubt if they (football’s authorities) can’t act, we will. We will put everything on the table to prevent this from happening.

‘We will do whatever it takes to protect our national game.’

A threat of a ban on incoming foreign transfer moves is suggested.

But the Big Six are unmoved. One board member at one of the clubs involved tells Sky Sports News: ‘This is not a civil war, it’s a nuclear war. There are several board members at the six clubs who are opposed to joining the new league but they feel they do not have the power to stop it.’

7PM

Liverpool are preparing to face Leeds United in the Premier League under a cloud. At Elland Road, their team coach is chased by angry fans.

Manager Jurgen Klopp arrives at the ground and speaks to the TV cameras. He says he ‘doesn’t want’ a Super League split to happen. James Milner, Liverpool’s captain on the night, says he and his team-mates are against it after the game.

Neville and Carragher, by this point football’s loudest voices in the debate, spend the entirety of Sky’s Monday Night Football show tearing into the Super League and its clubs. Klopp, clearly irked by the whole topic, rows with Neville after the game.

Liverpool, for so long a club led by their connection with supporters, are now in direct conflict with their manager, players and supporters.

9PM

Perez, the head of the Super League and Real Madrid president, joins a popular late-night TV show in Spain.

In a head-nodding puff interview, the 74-year-old insists the Super League is an economic necessity for football. It will ‘save’ the sport, he says. Perez adds: ‘football will be dead by 2024’ if it doesn’t happen.

He also tells any wobbling clubs they cannot turn back now – ‘binding contracts’ have been signed.

10PM

Prince William warns of the damage the breakaway league could do to ‘the game we love’. He echoes much of the criticism by saying the ‘values of competition and fairness’ must be protected.

But the clubs still stay silent. Perez is the only chief to have spoken out, the English clubs keep their mouths firmly shut.

TUESDAY, APRIL 21

9.06AM

The first Super League cracks appear. MailOnline reveals two clubs – Chelsea and Manchester City – are wavering. Neville tweets that City are ‘most likely to crack’.

Later, German paper BILD report that Liverpool are uneasy over the backlash.

But Super League sources continue to brief that they believe there is little chance of teams pulling out. 

10AM

Everton are the first of the Premier League’s ‘other 14’ clubs to release a statement savaging the Super League Six. It talks of ‘subversive practices’ and slams the ‘self-proclaimed Super Six’ for their ‘preposterous arrogance’

Their owner, Farhad Moshiri, calls for the Premier League to deduct points off them in talkSPORT radio interview.

Other clubs will follow Everton’s lead throughout the day.

12.45PM

The Prime Minster tells the Premier League that a ‘legislative bomb’ should be dropped to stop the European Super League.

Johnson meets top flight chief executive Richard Masters for emergency talks and tells him he’ll do whatever it takes’ including possible competition law intervention and the introduction of ‘sports-specific legislation’. 

The PM is scathing of the dirty half-dozen and, well aware that any moves to stop them will be popular, ramps up the pressure even more with the promise of a crackdown.

1.30PM

Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City manager, openly criticises the Super League in his press conference. The Catalan coach says it’s ‘not sport’ and demands that the presidents behind the ‘unfair’ plans explain themselves.

His players, it seems, quietly agree. Raheem Sterling leads a group who retweet Guardiola’s comments on Twitter, although they later delete their postings and revert to simply ‘liking’ them instead.

Marcus Rashford joins the dissenting voices, posting United legend Matt Busby’s famous quote ‘Football is nothing without fans’ on his Twitter timeline.

Mike Keegan’s MailOnline report on Jordan Henderson calling an emergency meeting of the Premier League captains is picked up widely. Lineker calls it ‘player power for good’.

4PM

The fall-out continues. Lineker says he’ll never work on the Super League if it gets off the ground. Broadcasters Sky, BT, Amazon and DAZN distance themselves from any talk of buying up the TV rights.

Pressure ramps up on Liverpool as the grandson of their legendary manager Bill Shankly says he wants his statue at Anfield pulled down over their abandoning of his ethos and beliefs.

5.30PM

Chelsea fans fill the streets in West London. Their banners call out owner Roman Abramovich and American chairman Bruce Buck for their greed, they sing songs of ‘f*** the Super League’, smoke bombs go off and they block the Fulham Road.

As time passes, the crowd grows. Police can’t prevent the roadblock of thousands of fans and it soon becomes apparent Chelsea’s team bus isn’t getting anywhere near Stamford Bridge for this game against Brighton at 8pm. 

6.25PM

Chelsea director and club legend Petr Cech steps out to address the crowd. ‘We will sort this out. Let the people in, let the bus go in,’ he tells the fans. But the fury over the Super League sees even their greatest-ever goalkeeper called a ‘f***ing traitor’.

6.48PM  

Suddenly, news trickles through to the fans that Chelsea are pulling out. Their supporters celebrate. Manchester City are next and Atletico Madrid are rumoured to be following as the dominos fall.

Woodward resigns, although United don’t confirm the news until much later.

9.23PM

City officially announce they are out. The first club to do so. It’s a short statement: ‘Manchester City Football Club can confirm that it has formally enacted the procedures to withdraw from the group developing plans for a European Super League.’

10.55PM

Liverpool, United, Arsenal and Tottenham all announce they are pulling out. Arsenal apologise to their supporters, the statements from United and Spurs don’t go that far, although Liverpool will follow the next morning.

12.45AM

Chelsea, otherwise occupied by a 0-0 draw with Brighton with Tuchel admitting the Super League issue was a distraction, release their statement. They’re out.

The Super League is in tatters. They make a statement saying they will ‘reshape the project’. It isn’t abandoned but with the English clubs gone, it’s dead in the water.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21

8AM 

Liverpool’s American owner John W Henry issues a video apology, grovelling to supporters, Klopp and the players in a low-key address while wearing a gillet in a side room at the Boston Red Sox’s Fenway Park ballpark.

He later escapes and evades any questioning from reporters Stateside. Liverpool fans’ group Spirit of Shankly slam Henry’s ‘crocodile tears’ and say it’s ‘too little too late’. At Liverpool and Chelsea there are calls for executives’ heads from supporters.

10AM

The Super League’s founder admits defeat: Agnelli tells Reuters it’s all over – for now, at least.

Asked whether the project could still happen after the exits, Agnelli said: ‘To be frank and honest no, evidently that is not the case. I remain convinced of the beauty of that project. But admittedly I don’t think that that project is now still up and running.’

Later, his British ex-wife sticks the boot in, admiring how ‘beautiful’ it is that his European Super League ship had sunk.

MailOnline reveals each of the English ‘Big Six’ have lost £8million by pulling out and face more penalties for breaking their contracts. But by this point the clubs are just glad to escape more fury.

11AM

Atletico Madrid officially pull out. Inter Milan follow almost immediately after.

12.25PM

AC Milan join the exits. And then even Agnelli’s Juventus admit defeat and quit the Super League. Just Real Madrid and Barcelona remain.