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Report: United players unhappy after Super League bombshell

Manchester United’s involvement in the new European Super League was just as much of a shock to players as it was to supporters, according to Laurie Whitwell and other contributors from The Athletic.

“The boys aren’t happy,” a source close to the players said. “They feel exposed by the club, uninformed, and as though the club didn’t bother to fill them in or consult the players over career-influencing changes.”

Those involved with other impacted Premier League sides revealed similar concerns. An Arsenal insider told The Athletic the team’s players were also angry over a lack of communication from club officials.

Additionally, one footballer from a top-six side expressed concern over UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin’s threat that players who compete in the Super League risk being banned from continental and international tournaments.

Manchester United announced Sunday night that they, along with 11 other teams, intend to participate in the breakaway competition, which would rival UEFA’s Champions League.

Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward reportedly told manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer of the team’s involvement just before kick-off Sunday against Burnley, The Athletic adds.

Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes appeared to speak out against the European Super League in an Instagram post Monday, saying, “Dreams can’t be (bought).”

Meanwhile, Manchester United supporters gathered outside of Old Trafford on Monday to express their opposition to the controversial plan:

United and Arsenal are two of six English teams involved in the Super League, along with Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham Hotspur.

Soccer

12 of Europe's biggest clubs agree to form Super League

Twelve of Europe’s biggest and richest clubs have agreed to form a breakaway league, dubbed the “Super League,” that threatens to derail the longstanding structures of the sport.

After widespread reports about the formation of the 20-team competition, the dozen founding members confirmed their involvement Sunday evening.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Juventus are the clubs that have agreed to participate.

Three additional teams are expected to join ahead of the inaugural season, the Super League said, adding that the competition will begin as “soon as practicable.”

The remaining five teams would vary each season based on performance.

“The new annual tournament will provide significantly greater economic growth and support for European football via a long-term commitment to uncapped solidarity payments which will grow in line with league revenues,” read a Super League statement. “These solidarity payments will be substantially higher than those generated by the current European competition and are expected to be in excess of €10 billion during the course of the initial commitment period of the clubs.”

The founding clubs will receive a one-time payment of €3.5 billion.

Investment bank JP Morgan is underwriting the project, sources told Mark Ogden of ESPN.

The move threatens the existence of the Champions League, Europe’s premier club event. The Super League’s proposal notes that matches will take place in the middle of the week, a slot the Champions League currently occupies.

In response to Sunday’s development, which Martyn Ziegler and Matt Lawton of The Times first reported, UEFA reiterated its stance that clubs and players involved in any breakaway competition will face serious sanctions.

UEFA issued a joint statement with the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, and the football federations in Spain and Italy, saying that the groups remain “united in our efforts to stop this cynical project.”

“Football is based on open competitions and sporting merit; it cannot be any other way,” read the statement. “As previously announced by FIFA and the six federations, the clubs concerned will be banned from playing in any other competition at domestic, European, or world level, and their players could be denied the opportunity to represent their national teams.”

Though UEFA explicitly thanked German and French teams for refusing to sign up for the breakaway competition, two Bundesliga sides and one Ligue 1 outfit will be among the initial participants, according to Ogden.

The potential creation of a Super League has long hung over European football, with top clubs using the possibility of the competition to squeeze more money and control out of UEFA.

Sunday’s news comes after the European Club Association and UEFA reportedly agreed on a plan to revamp the Champions League. UEFA is expected to announce Monday a new 36-team format – a style that would give major clubs a larger share of revenue generated.

Juventus quit the ECA in the immediate aftermath of the Super League plans going public, reports Rob Harris of The Associated Press. Club chairman Andrea Agnelli, who had been heavily involved in talks regarding a revamped Champions League, also resigned as ECA chairman and relinquished his position on UEFA’s executive committee.

Agnelli is the vice president of the Super League, along with Manchester United co-chairman Joel Glazer. Real Madrid chief Florentino Perez is the president.

The other 11 founding Super League clubs are expected to follow suit and leave the ECA.

The teams said they want to continue competing in domestic leagues, while a corresponding women’s league will also be created, the Super League noted.

Soccer

Guardiola: De Bruyne's injury 'doesn't look good'

Manchester City are waiting to learn the extent of an injury suffered by Kevin De Bruyne during Saturday’s FA Cup semifinal defeat to Chelsea.

“He has pain,” City manager Pep Guardiola said when asked about the Belgian’s apparent ankle issue, according to Goal’s Jonathan Smith. “Tomorrow they are going to test, but they tell me it doesn’t look good.”

City’s talisman picked up the injury in a challenge with N’Golo Kante at the start of the second half. Phil Foden promptly replaced him.

De Bruyne, who recently inked terms that will keep him at the club until 2025, has been his usual influential self for Guardiola’s side this season. He started the weekend’s 1-0 loss at Wembley just three days after his determined display against Borussia Dortmund guided City into the Champions League semifinals.

But he’s now at risk of missing those upcoming continental clashes and more.

The Premier League leaders cram seven matches into the next month, including a League Cup final against Tottenham Hotspur and both legs of their Champions League semifinal tilt with Paris Saint-Germain.

Soccer

Real Madrid bus window smashed on way to Liverpool match

A window on Real Madrid’s team bus was smashed as the vehicle made its way to Anfield for the club’s Champions League match Wednesday against Liverpool.

It’s believed someone in a crowd of Liverpool fans who gathered outside the stadium threw an object at the bus, according to The Associated Press. Stewards were seen sweeping up the broken glass.

“We condemn unequivocally the actions that led to Real Madrid’s team bus being damaged during its arrival to Anfield this evening,” Liverpool said in a statement, per Neil Jones of Goal. “It is totally unacceptable and shameful behaviour of a few individuals.”

Fans weren’t permitted inside Anfield for the match due to coronavirus restrictions.

Wednesday’s contest ultimately finished goalless, with Real Madrid eliminating Liverpool thanks to a 3-1 victory on aggregate.

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