Founder of the breakaway European Super League and Juventus chairman, Andrea Agnelli, called time on the project on Wednesday after six English clubs withdrew.
He then blamed the involvement of politicians for the league’s downfall.
Twelve of Europe’s leading football clubs from England, Italy, and Spain announced a breakaway league on Sunday.
But after 48 hours of intense criticism from fans and politicians, the six English clubs backed out on Tuesday. Asked whether the project could still happen following the departures, Agnelli told Reuters: “To be frank and honest, no. That is not the case.”
Agnelli however said he remained convinced that European football needed change and he had no regrets about the way the breakaway attempt was made.
“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.”
Agnelli said other clubs were ready to join the new European league before the English sides left.
“I’m not going to say how many clubs contacted me in just 24 hours asking if they could join,” he said, declining to name them.
“Maybe they lied, but I was contacted by several teams asking what they could do to join.”
Agnelli said he felt the British government’s intervention, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson threatening legislation to stop the breakaway had pushed the English clubs to withdraw.
“I have had speculation to that extent that if six teams would have broken away and would have threatened the EPL (Premier League), politics would have seen that as an attack to Brexit and their political scheme,” he said.
Ada Peter
