Juventus spurn Super League; Barcelona, Real Madrid remain - ESPN

The so-called European Super League was dealt a fresh blow on Saturday when Italian Serie A side Juventus decided to rejoin the body of clubs opposing the controversial breakaway competition.

Juventus had been with Real Madrid and Barcelona in pushing for a new competition that would replace the Champions League. But they will now rejoin the European Club Association (ECA) of 600 teams, which has fought strongly against attempts to create a Super League.

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«They are back. It is great,» ECA chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi said. «The club has an amazing history. We are proud they are back to their family. I also call the others to be back.»

Madrid and Barcelona are now the only two clubs trying to form a proposed Super League, which has already had one failed launch after angry fan protests in 2021.

Madrid president Florentino Perez has been determined to push ahead with plans to create a breakaway, despite the majority of Europe's leading clubs rejecting the idea.

His position appeared to be strengthened in December when the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that football''s governing bodies UEFA and FIFA acted contrary to EU competition law by blocking attempts for a breakaway league.

Super League organizers quickly revealed plans for the new competition, which Perez described as a «great opportunity to improve European club football.»

But, crucially, he did not have the backing of many of the leading clubs, which faced a furious backlash from fans when attempting to form a breakaway in 2021.

Back then, a group of 12 of Europe's most storied clubs announced plans to create a new Super League. Proposals for the 20-team elite tournament would have seen 15 top sides