London (AFP)

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin assured Sunday that there would be sanctions against the 12 clubs that tried to launch a dissident European Super League earlier this week, in the Sunday Mail on Sunday.

"Everyone must suffer the consequences of what he has done and we can not pretend that nothing has happened," he said.

At the very beginning of the week, 6 English clubs, 3 Spanish and 3 Italian, among the richest in Europe, had launched a semi-closed competition project where 15 of the 20 places would be reserved every year for the same 15 founders.

Faced with the media and political outcry and the indignant reaction from supporters, the six English clubs - Manchester City and United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal - were the first to back down on Tuesday evening, followed by Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan and AC Milan.

But Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus did not formally throw in the towel and this die-hard trio were mocked by Ceferin who called them "those who believe that the Earth is flat and that the Super League still exists. ".

The leader of European football has also placed the 6 English clubs apart, insofar as they were the first to fall into line.

"For me there is a big difference between the English clubs and the other six. They retired first, they admitted their mistake. It takes a certain greatness of character to say: + I was wrong +."

However, they will not necessarily escape all consequences, but they will be less strong, even if Ceferin refused to specify the range of possible sanctions.

"Everyone will be held responsible (...) Will it be disciplinary? Will it be by a decision of the executive committee? We will see. It is too early to say," he said. it simply stated.

© 2021 AFP