UEFA official confirms Real Madrid, Chelsea & Manchester City could be banned from 2020-21 UCL semifinals
Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City could be banned from participating in the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League semifinals for being part of the breakaway European Super League.
Nine more clubs - Manchester United, Liverpool, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, Inter, AC Milan, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal - along with the three aforementioned ones announced the launch of the European Super League on Sunday.
Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City are in the last-four of the ongoing 2020-21 UCL along with Paris Saint-Germain, who aren't part of the breakaway league.
As per UEFA executive committee member and head of the Danish Football Association Jesper Moller, the former three are set to be banned from the ongoing edition of Europe's premier football competition.
While speaking to Danish broadcaster DR, Moller has said he expects UEFA to make the announcement as early as Friday.
“The clubs (Real Madrid, Chelsea & Manchester City) are going out, and I expect that to happen on Friday. Then we have to see how to finish the Champions League. There is an extraordinary executive committee meeting on Friday,” Moller said.
"We are all united against this nonsense of a project" - UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin's comments further complicate Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City's current situation
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin launched a scathing attack on the European Super League, highlighting that the football world is united against the project. UEFA's stance further complicates Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City's current situation.
"I cannot stress more strongly at this moment that UEFA and the footballing world stand united against the disgraceful, self-serving proposals we have seen from a select few clubs in Europe that are fuelled by greed above all else," Ceferin told UEFA's official website.
"Not only the football world is united. Society is united. Governments are united. We are all united against this nonsense of a project. We have the English FA, the English Football Association and the Premier League, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and La Liga, and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and Lega Serie A, but also FIFA, all our 55 national associations, unanimous in our opposition to these cynical plans that are completely against what football should be...
"I would like to thank especially UK prime minister (Boris) Johnson, the President of France (Emmanuel) Macron, the European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas, David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament, and all the leaders around Europe who respect our fans, our culture and values that are not only football values but European values too.
"This idea is a spit in the face of all football lovers and of society as a whole. We will not allow them to take it away from us," Ceferin concluded.
While Real Madrid and Chelsea face off in the first semifinal of the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, April 27, Manchester City will face PSG in the other semifinal on April 28.
Whether Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City will be allowed to continue in the ongoing UCL season remains to be seen.