Breakaway European Super League clubs face criticism

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville joins British and French politicians as well as Uefa in condemning plans by 12 of Europe's most powerful clubs

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  LIVERPOOL PLAYER RATINGS: Alisson Becker - 6. The Brazilian did not see much action against a cautious Real but he was alert when needed. The best moment was a superb stop when Vinicius ran free on goal in the second half. PA

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  Trent Alexander-Arnold - 7. The 22-year-old was impressive at both ends of the pitch. He did not allow Vinicius the same freedom as in the first leg. The team rely too much on the full-back's crossing but his delivery was very good. PA

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  Nathaniel Phillips - 6. The centre back was lucky to get away with a mistake when he was robbed by Benzema but he stood strong overall. He made a couple of cynical challenges when caught out. Getty Images

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  Ozan Kabak - 6. The Turk gave the ball away too often but was not put under severe pressure by Real. He was quick to stop counter-attacks. Substituted for Jota with 30 minutes left. AFP

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  Andrew Robertson - 6. The Scot worked relentlessly up and down the wing and provided an outlet when the central players needed help. He always looked for the crossfield pass to release teammates into space. Reuters

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  James Milner - 7. The 35-year-old went close with a shot from distance and put himself about. He made a crucial interception in his own area before being replaced by Thiago on the hour. Getty Images

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  Fabinho - 7. The Brazilian was much better than in the first leg. He ensured his side had the advantage in midfield and protected the defence. AP

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  Georginio Wijnaldum - 6. The Dutchman was keen to get forward and executed a couple of splendid turns in midfield to get attacks started. He had one great chance but skied the ball over the bar just before half time. EPA

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  Mohamed Salah - 6. The Egyptian wasted a wonderful chance to bring his team back into the tie early in the first half. He kept the defence unnerved but was unable to make his menace pay off. Getty Images

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  Roberto Firmino - 6. The Brazilian failed to pick out Alexander-Arnold when in a dangerous position before the break. He had a number of half chances in the second period, the best of which was blocked by Militao. He made way for Oxlade-Chamberlain with eight minutes left. Getty Images

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  Sadio Mane - 6. The Senegalese started brightly and made life difficult for Valverde. He never carried through with the threat and faded before being replaced by Shaqiri in the 82nd minute. Getty Images

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  SUBS: Thiago Alcantara - 5. The 30-year-old came on for Milner with half an hour left but could not change the game. By then Real were sitting deep and the passing lanes were closed down. Reuters

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  Diogo Jota - 6. The Portuguese replaced Kabak in the 60th minute but found himself aiming for goal from narrow angles. He shot into the side-netting but never worried Courtois. Reuters

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  Xherdan Shaqiri - 6. The Swiss had lots of touches in the eight minutes remaining after he replaced Mane but the defence kept him at arm’s length. He tried hard to no avail. Getty Images

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  Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - 5. The Englishman joined the game after Firmino’s substitution with eight minutes left. He had one good run in stoppage time but it finished with an aimless cross. PA

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  REAL MADRID PLAYER RATINGS: Thibaut Courtois - 8. The Belgian made two vital saves from Salah at the beginning and end of the game, the first setting the tone for the match. In between he was excellent, making a spectacular full-stretch stop from Milner. EPA

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  Federico Valverde - 7. The midfielder was deployed at right back. He struggled with Mane early on but grew into the game and produced a fine pass to create a chance for Vinicius. PA

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  Eder Militao - 7. The Brazilian made a fantastic block from Firmino in the second half and looked composed throughout. He was good in the air against the barrage of crosses. Reuters

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  Nacho - 8. The 31-year-old fourth-choice centre back ensured any danger was dealt with quickly. He made a number of important clearances and used his experience to lead the defence. Reuters

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  Ferland Mendy - 6. The Frenchman got into some awkward situations but used his pace to bail himself out. Made a poor clearance late on. PA

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  Luka Modric - 6. The Croat was given too much freedom to pick his passes but was not his usual precise self. He was aware that Real did not need to be gung-ho and played conservatively. Reuters

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  Casemiro - 8. The Brazilian was up for a battle and got it. He scythed through Milner and broke up attacks repeatedly. The 29-year-old was not backing down and led by example. PA

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  Toni Kroos - 5. The German was nowhere near as influential as in the first leg in Madrid. He was not given time to pick out long passes and took a cautious approach. Replaced by Odriozola with 18 minutes left. Getty Images

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  Marco Asensio - 5. A quiet night for the 25-year-old. Real’s emphasis was on stopping Liverpool getting back into the tie and he saw too little of the ball. AP

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  Karim Benzema - 6. The Frenchman had a deflected pass hit the post after dispossessing Phillips. He missed a free header in the second half that would have killed the tie. On the plus side, he led the line well and held the ball up. Getty Images

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  Vinicius Junior - 5. The Brazilian was kept quiet by the defence and on the one occasion he showed his pace, the winger was foiled by Alisson. Taken off for Rodrygo with 18 minutes to go. Getty Images

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  SUBS: Alvaro Odriozola - 6. The defender was brought on for Kroos to shore up the back line with 18 minutes left. He did his job well with rigorous blocks and tackles. PA

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  Rodrygo - 5. Replaced Vinicius after 72 minutes but made little impact. He joined the game at the point Real sat deeper and deeper. AFP

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  Isco - 6. Sent on for Asensio with eight minutes left. He reinforced the defence and helped see out the closing minutes. Getty Images

Twelve of Europe's leading football clubs launched a breakaway Super League on Sunday, in what may be a seismic shift in the way football is run, but faced accusations of greed and cynicism.

The move sets up a rival to Uefa's established and lucrative Champions League competition and was condemned by football authorities and politicians.

Manchester City, Real Madrid and Juventus are among the leading members of the new league, but Uefa, the governing bodies of European football, has threatened to ban them from domestic and international competition and vowed to fight the move.

French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson issued statements condemning a breakaway and supporting Uefa's position.

As well as City, Premier League clubs Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have signed up to the plans.

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid from Spain join Real. AC Milan and Inter Milan make up the trio from Italy, along with Juventus.

German and French clubs, including both of last season's Champions League finalists Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, have said they have not signed up, so it remains to be seen whether the others will carry out their threat to turn their backs on their domestic leagues and risk their players being barred from all competitions, including the World Cup.

The Super League said that they aimed for 15 founding members and a 20-team league, with five other clubs qualifying each season.

The clubs would share a fund of €3.5 billion ($4.19 billion) to spend on infrastructure projects and to deal with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

"We will help football at every level and take it to its rightful place in the world. Football is the only global sport in the world with more than four billion fans, and our responsibility as big clubs is to respond to their desires," said Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, the first chairman of the Super League.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez. Reuters

Fifa expressed its "disapproval to a 'closed European breakaway league' outside of the international football structures".

But noticeably there was no mention of a previous threat from Fifa to ban any players taking part in a breakaway from participating in World Cups.

The plans, which would represent one of the biggest changes made in the football calendar, threaten not only the future of the Champions League but could have a huge impact on the structure of the club game.

In England, the Premier League urged clubs “to walk away immediately before irreparable damage is done”.

The announcement was made hours before Uefa is due to sign off on its plans for an expanded and restructured 36-team Champions League on Monday.

Uefa issued a joint statement with English, Spanish and Italian leagues and football federations, saying they were ready to use "all measures" to confront any breakaway and that any participating clubs would be banned from domestic leagues.

"The clubs concerned will be banned from playing in any other competition at domestic, European or world level, and their players could be denied the opportunity to represent their national teams," the statement said.

"We thank those clubs in other countries, especially the French and German clubs, who have refused to sign up to this. We call on all lovers of football, supporters and politicians, to join us in fighting against such a project if it were to be announced. This persistent self-interest of a few has been going on for too long. Enough is enough."

The moves were condemned by football authorities and political leaders, with Johnson among those who opposed the move.

"Plans for a European Super League would be very damaging for football and we support football authorities in taking action," the UK prime minister tweeted.

"They would strike at the heart of the domestic game, and will concern fans across the country. The clubs involved must answer to their fans and the wider footballing community before taking any further steps."

Former Manchester United and England defender and now media pundit Gary Neville called the move "an absolute disgrace".

"I am disgusted by Manchester United and Liverpool the most," Neville told Sky Sports shortly before Sunday's announcement. "Liverpool, they pretend [with] You'll Never Walk Alone [they are] the people's club, the fans' club. Manchester United – 100 years, born out of workers. And they are breaking away into a league without competition, that they can't be relegated from?

“It is an absolute disgrace. Honestly, we have to wrestle back power in this country from the clubs at the top of this league, and that includes my club.”

There have been reports of a breakaway for a number of years and they returned in January when several media outlets reported a document had been produced outlining the plans.

Those reports led Fifa and Uefa to say that they would ban any players involved in a breakaway from playing in the World Cup or European Championship.

Uefa has proposed major changes to its Champions League which had received support from many clubs.

The changes will increase the competition to 36 from 32 teams, and an overhaul of the group stage into a single table rather than the current groups of four clubs.

Teams would play 10 matches each in the group stage rather than the six they currently play and a playoff round would also be introduced before the last 16.