Real Madrid and Super League promoters are seeking more than $4 billion in damages from UEFA, which they accuse of unfairly torpedoing the breakaway competition, a source told AFP on Thursday.
A Spanish court Wednesday dismissed an appeal from UEFA relating to the league.
Proposed in 2021 by 12 elite European clubs, including Real Madrid and Barcelona, the Super League project quickly collapsed due to fierce opposition from English clubs’ fans and threats from UEFA and FIFA.
The European Court of Justice ruled in December 2023 that the ban on the Super League was contrary to European law.
Last year, a Spanish judge said FIFA and UEFA had “prevented free competition” by opposing the Super League, ruling they were practising anti-competitive behaviour and abusing their dominant position.
The court in Madrid on Wednesday also rejected appeals filed by La Liga and the Spanish football federation.
The project’s promoter A22 Sports Management said it regretted that UEFA has “refused any path of compromise” and “reforms” despite several months of discussions, and claimed to have “no other choice” but “to initiate proceedings to obtain compensation for the damages suffered”.
“After years of legal proceedings, UEFA can no longer ignore binding court decisions,” A22 CEO Bernd Reichart said.
