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Super League project gets final blow as Barca withdraw

Barcelona have started the process of withdrawing from the European Super League (ESL), leaving Real Madrid as the only founding member in the project.

Of the 12 founding ESL members, nine pulled out swiftly following its launch. Another, Juventus, said in 2023 that they had withdrawn from the proposal, leaving just Barca and Madrid attached to the project.

In January 2023, the Catalan club’s president, Joan Laporta, said he remained convinced a new European League to initially compete with England’s Premier League would still be launched.

The 20-team, closed-shop ESL was initially launched in April 2021, but fell apart following a substantial backlash from supporters.

Six English Premier League clubs — Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur — all immediately withdrew, along with Spanish side Atletico Madrid and both Milan and Inter of Serie A.

The changes in the Champions League format along with that of the Club World Cup have given top clubs additional revenue streams.

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