London (AFP)

Chelsea and Manchester City, two of the twelve clubs to participate in the private European Super League project, competing head-on with the Champions League, are said to be on the verge of withdrawing their support for the project, several English media, including the BBC, said on Tuesday.

According to the BBC, Chelsea were the first to signal their intention to turn their backs on the Super League, followed quickly by Manchester City.

With four other English clubs, three Spanish and three Italian, among the richest clubs in Europe, these two clubs were considering the creation of a semi-closed league where 15 of the 20 places would be reserved for the founding teams, every year.

The project immediately drew the unanimous wrath of the political and sporting worlds, the British government and the football authorities threatening the applicants with legal proceedings or suspension.

On Tuesday evening, Chelsea supporters, supported by fans of other teams concerned or not by this project, gathered by the hundreds in front of Stamford Bridge, before a league game against Brighton, to let their anger burst with scathing slogans.

They blocked the entrance to the team's bus, forcing Petr Cech, the club's former goalkeeper and currently technical director, to come and chat with them.

Minutes later, the English media began to report that the London club were preparing the necessary documents to withdraw from the Super League project, at the request of their owner, Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.

The withdrawal of two of the 12 founders, barely 48 hours after the bomb thrown in the face of European football, could well cause the project to collapse like a house of cards.

Earlier today, City coach Pep Guardiola did not hesitate to be very reserved, during a press conference, on the format chosen to maximize the number of matches and profits, to the detriment of sporting merit.

"It is not sport when there is no relationship between effort and reward. It is not sport if success is guaranteed or if losing does not matter," he insisted.

© 2021 AFP