Club is owned by Red Sox owners John Henry and Tom Werner's Fenway Sports Management.
The Merseyside Reds will be one of the 12, perhaps as many as 15, permanent clubs to be a founding member of the proposed European Super League that is slated to start play in the 2021-2022 season. The newly announced venture will feature some of the biggest global brand names in soccer playing in a new tournament style competition that will also feature 5 invitee clubs selected by a competition committee.
The move has been met with fervent protest by fans, other clubs and the sanctioning bodies in Europe (UEFA) and the world (FIFA) with threats of abandonment and bans for players from their current domestic leagues and international competition including the upcoming Euro 2022 and World Cup tournaments.
Players from around the Premier League and beyond have expressed their disapproval of the proposal including Liverpool’s own manager Jurgen Klopp, who after yesterday’s 1-1 draw at Elland Road versus Leeds United said “I don’t think it’s a great idea.”
That sentiment was backed up by Liverpool star James Milner who said “I don’t like it and hopefully it doesn’t happen.” Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford went on to add his thoughts by saying “Without the fans, football is pretty much nothing and it is important we stand our ground and show football is for the fans and try to keep it that way.”
For its part, UEFA announced the passage of a new format to the venerable Champions League with an expansion to 36 clubs replacing the group stage with a 10 team “league” format that then progresses into the knockout round. It will also allow for a “historical UEFA coefficient” which will allow a “super club” to make Champions League in sort of an “at large berth” if they have an “off year” domestically, perhaps due to injury of a key player or the like.
Arlo White, the famed NBC Sports commentator for the Premier League this morning stated “The wonderful essence of Football is glory balanced with peril. Winning trophies, finishing as high as you can, avoiding relegation, gaining promotion, reaching a cup final. This model removes the peril. I love NFL/MLB but it’s like a different language to Euro sports fans.” #soccer #superleague #uefa #fifa #championsleague