UEFA threats to ban players for super league participation laughable – Perez

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has dismissed threats from UEFA president Alexander Ceferin, who said that players participating in the Super League “will be banned from the World Cup and Euros”.

There has been a major outcry over the Super League proposal, which was announced on Sunday and includes 12 teams with a further three expected to be added.

Ceferin was left fuming at the plan, which is set to directly threaten the Champions League.

Perez spoke about Ceferin’s threats in an interview with El Chiringuito on Monday, saying: “Every player can be calm because that’s not going to happen. They won’t be banned if they join the Super League.”

Ceferin wasn’t the only UEFA figure making threats on Monday, with Executive Committee member Jesper Moller saying Madrid, Chelsea and Man City could all be booted out of this season’s Champions League due to their involvement in the Super League.

Perez, again, dismissed those threats, saying: “Real Madrid, Manchester City and Chelsea will not be banned from the Champions League or domestic leagues. Impossible, I can assure you of that. 100 per cent, it won’t happen, the law protects us. This is impossible.”

Ceferin branded Manchester United and Juventus chiefs Ed Woodward and Andrea Agnelli as “snakes” after they led proposals for the Super League, comments that also did not go down well with Perez.

“President Ceferin insulted Andrea Agnelli today, it is not possible,” Perez said. “It’s crazy to discuss a president of a world club like Juventus.

“This is something unacceptable, UEFA must change, we don’t want a president who insults other presidents.

“Why aren’t UEFA and La Liga salaries public? Why haven’t salaries been reduced like everyone else during the pandemic? We need more transparency. We know the salary of LeBron James but we don’t know the salary of the UEFA president.”

Aside from Real Madrid, there are two other La Liga teams involved in the competition: Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.

That trio is joined by three Italian sides, AC Milan, Inter and Juventus, as well as six teams from England: Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham.

Three more teams are expected to be involved annually for a total of 15, with a further five clubs able to qualify each season.