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Could ESL row lead to a new Bosman?

Uefa has run into trouble over its efforts to punish participants in the European Super League.  It has had to announce that disciplinary proceedings against Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Juventus were 'null and void'.

Whilst other clubs have pulled out of the Super League project, these three clubs have persisted with a legal case against Uefa in a Madrid court.   The Spanish judges have referred the matter to the European Court of Justice on competition grounds.   I also thought that attempting to restrain the ESL could constitute a breach of competition law.

This could be another landmark case like Bosman which could profoundly affect football.  The ECJ will have to decide whether Uefa can act as a regulator that can sanction clubs while also profiting from tournaments such as the Champions League.

In a message to national associations, Uefa warned that 'the persistent pursuit of the ESL project and the resultant court cases compromise an ongoing existential threat to the foundations and future of European football.'

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