Despite being fierce rivals on the football pitch, Liverpool and Manchester United are constructively working together behind the scenes. They are the frontrunners in the proposal for a European Premier League which will feature the best teams from the top 5 leagues in the continent.
The latest developments suggest that the tournament has been backed by FIFA. In addition, JP Morgan is willing to assemble a $6 billion package to fund the super-league.
The Big Six of the Premier League, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are involved in talks regarding the construction of the tournament.
There have been reports that the tournament could become a reality as soon as 2022.
Consequences of the European Premier League
The first question that most fans would have is what happens to the Champions League. To put it simply, the Champions League would be replaced by the league-cum-knockout competition.
European competitions would be held in mid-week while domestic matches could take place over the weekend. While UEFA are strongly opposed to the introduction of a tournament of such fashion, their stance makes sense when you consider the following things.
1. The Top Four Would Be Irrelevant
While winning the domestic league is a priority for a lot of clubs, finishing in the top four is the next best thing. The reason being guaranteed Champions League football in the following season.
A league type tournament biased towards the founding members could strip away the importance of finishing in the top four in the domestic leagues.
2. The Landscape of Football Would Completely Change
Right now, despite the coronavirus pandemic impacting schedules, the fixtures are being managed pretty well. However, if you include a European Premier League without scrapping the Champions League, a club with both commitments would have a tough time keeping up.
On the other hand, the proposed system of relegation and promotion could make things very unstable for a lot of clubs that could join later.
3. The Financial Aspect
With rumors that hundreds of millions will be earned by the participating clubs in matchday revenue, the gap between the European Premier League teams and the less powerful teams would increase.
This could lead to a destruction of the spirit of the beautiful game, as money governs a lot of aspects of the modern game.
All in all, though the idea sounds great on paper, it would be a massacre in practice. With the complex machinery of modern football already set in stone for close to three decades, a change of such magnitude could destroy the very foundations that make football the most beloved game on the planet.
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