Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid president Florentino Perez said on Tuesday that plans by 12 clubs including the Spanish giants to form a European Super League (ESL) were made to save football.
On Monday, six Premier League teams — Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur — joined forces with Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid and Italian trio Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan to launch the planned competition.
They have decided to break away from the UEFA-sanctioned Champions League and start their new competition “as soon as possible”, with plans for three more founding members to join and for five other clubs to be invited annually.
“Football has to keep changing and adapting to the times. Football is losing interest. Something must be done,” Perez told television programme El Chiringuito.
“Football is the only sport that is global. Television has to change to adapt to the times. We have to think about why 16-24 year-olds are no longer interested in football.
“There are poor quality matches and there are other platforms for entertainment. Football has to change.
“A group of clubs from some European countries want to do something to make this sport more attractive worldwide,” Perez, who has been named ESL president, added.
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