MILAN: Juventus will be excluded from next season’s Serie A should the Italian soccer club decide to persist with the proposed European Super League project, the head of the Italian soccer federation (FIGC) said on Monday.
Nine of the clubs who tried to breakaway, including six English Premier League teams, backed out of the Super League idea, but Juventus, Barcelona and Real Madrid are still involved in the project.
“If Juventus does not respect the rules they will be out,” Gabriele Gravina told a news conference on Monday.
“At the time of registration for the next Serie A championship the club will be excluded if they decide not to withdraw from the Super League.”
Juve, Real and Barcelona said they were ready to reconsider the proposed approach to the breakaway plan following the angry backlash across the continent, but added it would be “highly irresponsible” for them to abandon the project altogether.
“We are fully aware of the diversity of reactions to the Super League initiative and, consequently, of the need to reflect on the reasons for some of them,” their statement said on Saturday.
“We are ready to reconsider the proposed approach, as necessary.”
They did also denounce the “intolerable” pressure put on them by UEFA to drop the project.
The Super League argued it would increase revenue for the top clubs in Europe and allow them to distribute more money to the rest of the game.
UEFA, other teams and fan organisations, however, said the league would only boost the power and wealth of elite clubs, with European soccer’s governing body insisting on Friday that the three clubs will face sanctions.
Juventus declined to comment when approached by Reuters. - Reuters
