Well, this has truly been one of the most monumental, emotional days for football in quite some time. That's no exaggeration.
We saw clubs around Europe rail against the powerful few, as well as threats of bans for players and teams in certain competitions as a consequence for participating in the proposed Super League. Even some people working for breakaway organisations - particularly at Liverpool - were critical in their reactions.
The rest of the week should bring more drama, so continue to follow along with Goal's coverage of the Super League saga.
For now, though, we bid you farewell.
'Liverpool fans may never forgive their club'
After his side's 1-1 draw with Liverpool, Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa told BBC Sport that the Super League development "shouldn't surprise" anyone as "in all walks of life the powerful look after their own and don't worry about the rest of us".
"The big teams are also created due to the opposition of the other teams," Bielsa said. "In the search for higher economic earnings they forget about the rest. The powerful are more rich and the weak are poorer. It doesn't do good to football in general.
"There are a lot of structures that should have prevented these forces from coming. For me sincerely I am not surprised because in all walks of life same thing happens, so why wouldn't it happen in football."
Milner hits out at Super League plans
'The first word was disgrace'
Former Man City defender Micah Richards has hit out at the Super League plans on BBC Radio 5 Live.
"I'm an ambassador at Manchester City," Richards said. "The first word that came to me was disgrace. It has been a whirlwind 24 hours, information was seeping through every hour and I found it disheartening.
"From where Manchester City have come from, from Division Two and Paul Dickov's goal [to win promotion in 1999] all the way to the Premier League and they earned that the right way through hard work, great support and not doing things the easy way and went all the way to winning the Premier League.
"Now, having the audacity to believe they should be better than everyone else - I was flabbergasted. We do not have all the information from Manchester City but the overriding feeling is just massive disappointment."
'Earn it'
Neville wants Man Utd 'scavengers' booted out
Former Man Utd defender Gary Neville has launched a scathing attack on Red Devils ownership, who took the club into the Super League.
“I thought it was a criminal act,” Neville said on Sky Sports. “I was half hoping they would, off the backlash, they would rethink it. I saw the statement and it had Joel Glazer’s statement to it, and I thought, ‘this is a problem’.
"He’s intelligent, he knows what he wants. I thought this is serious. He’s not backing down. He’ll try force this through. They’ve been through hell at Manchester United. They don’t care. When I saw his name I was really worried.
“I’ve stayed quiet as it’s still Manchester United, I can still watch them play, I can still be happy and sad. If they take dividends out I can live with this. They are scavengers, they need booting out of this football club and out of this country."
Klopp opinion unchanged on Super League
Jurgen Klopp has had his say and although he’s not quite as strong as he was in 2019, he says he does not support a Super League.
“My opinion did not change,” he told Sky Sports. “I heard first time about it yesterday.
“So far we have got some information, not a lot. Most of you can read in newspapers.
“It is a tough one. People are not happy with it. I cannot say a lot more as we are not involved in any processes.
“We will have to wait and see how they develop.
“The Champions League was there since ‘93. My aim was always to coach a team there.
“I have no issues with the Champions League. I like the fact West Ham have the chance to play Champions League.”
Taking to the skies to stop the Super League
It’s not quite the heady days of “Wenger Out” banners flying over north London, but someone has decided to charter a plane and fly a “Say No To Super League” over Elland Road.
Duke of Cambridge concerned by proposals
The Duke of Cambridge has had his say on the Super League proposals, and is concerned by developments.
Leeds fans take aim at Liverpool
Leeds United made their feelings known on the Super League proposals, and Whites fans were also in an angry mood outside Elland Road.
United players 'unimpressed' by Woodward briefing
Ed Woodward was reportedly in damage-limitation mode at Manchester United, but the players were “seriously unimpressed” by his briefing.
Woodward held a call with the playing staff to set out the club’s position, but the Mail claims the briefing did not go down well.
“Some of the players were seriously unimpressed,’ a Mail source said. “Not only that they were left to find out by the media about what had happened but that their manager was left to face the press when the owners had concocted this.
“Woodward attempted to appease them but the response was lukewarm at best. It hasn’t gone down well with many of them.
Super League clubs to be booted out of UCL?
Paris Saint-Germain have invested millions in order to try and win the Champions League.
All it could have taken was their European rivals to suggest forming a breakaway league.
The proposed Super League has split the football world, and Manchester City, Chelsea and Real Madrid could be kicked out of this season's Champions League this week, according to the Danish FA chairman Jesper Moller.
PSG are the other side in the semi-finals, so if the other three are booted out it would see the French side crowned champions.
Guess it’s one way of offsetting any prospect of Neymar picking up an injury on the eve of the big game.
Leeds send 'earn it on the pitch' message to Reds
Liverpool are the first side from the proposed Super League to be in action following the announcement on Sunday evening.
They travel to Elland Road to face Leeds on Monday, and will be greeted by a message from the Whites.
A banner in the Revie Stand at Elland Road read: “Earn it on the pitch. Football is for the fans.”
The highlight of the night for many won’t be the game, it will be hearing the views of Jurgen Klopp.
FOMO the driving factor?
The drivers behind the Super League proposal have not set about it by writing their plans on the back of a cigarette packet and hoping for the best.
Juventus chief Andrea Agnelli is one of the main men pressing for its introduction and he has shared some of his research.
The key snippets are:
Fans globally follow more than one club
Fans follow players not clubs
Fans follow football because of the fear of missing out
I am always in football - Mourinho
Sky Sports News caught up with Jose Mourino at his London home following his sacking as Spurs manager.
In true Gary Cotterill style, there was a bit of Brent about the exchange with Mourinho.
The Portuguese suggested he is not looking to step away from the game.
“No need for breaks,” he said. “I am always in football.”
'It's not just a patch on a sleeve'
Players and their PR teams can sometimes be accused of toeing the party line.
Bayern Munich have voiced their disapproval of the Super League proposal, and their right back Benjamin Pavard has followed suit.
But you get the impression on this occasion, Pavard is speaking his own mind with what he tweeted.
“It's not just a patch on a sleeve,” he wrote. “These are indescribable emotions as a player, incredible memories as a fan.
“It is a competition that all players and all clubs should be able to aspire to if they deserve it.”
'Why the f**k should they be in such a tournament?'
Norway manager Stale Solbakken has not pulled any punches with regard to the proposed Super League.
Solbakken says Juventus, Arsenal and Tottenham are not even deserving of seats at the top table, so for them to be guaranteed a spot for life makes no sense.
"Andrea Agnelli (Juventus president) has been one of the driving forces in recent years," Solbakken told VG. "In recent years, they have been knocked out by Lyon, Porto and Ajax in the Champions League.
"Why the f**k should they be in such a tournament then? Tottenham and Arsenal are currently probably not among the 20-30 best teams in Europe."
Support from South America
Support for the proposed Super League is thin on the ground.
But a voice from South America has chimed in, saying it is something the continent’s teams should consider.
Athletico Paranaense president Mario Celso Petraglia is the man in question.
“The establishment needs to be challenged,” Petraglia told UmDois Esportes. “FIFA's power and dominance structure protecting only its interests is exhausted.
“The crisis has only hit clubs and not its representative institutions.
“Fortunately, the independence movement arises on the European continent, we need and we hope that America will follow suit and have the same determination.”
'Greed is not the future'
Ada Hegerberg is a superstar in the women’s game, and the Norwegian has added her voice to those opposed to the proposed Super League.
The Lyon forward has won the Champions League on five occasions and says it is the ultimate competition for players to take part in, and has described the plans as greed.
Bayern opposed to Super League project
Bayern Munich have joined their fellow Bundesliga sides in denouncing the proposed Super League.
The Champions League holders did not feature among the 12 sides who have proposed a breakaway league.
The likes of Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig issued statements opposing the plan, and Bayern have now followed suit.
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, CEO of FC Bayern said: “FC Bayern did not participate in the planning of a Super League.
"We are convinced that the current structures in football guarantee a serious footing.
"FC Bayern welcomes the reforms of the Champions League because we believe that they are the right step for the development of European football.
"The modified preliminary round will contribute to more tension and emotionality in the competition. "
'Thank you for everything Boss'
Harry Kane appeared to actually quite enjoy playing under Jose Mourinho.
To be fair, Kane must be a manager’s dream as he is a superb striker and has a desire to take his game forward.
The striker took to Instagram to wish his former manager well in his future endeavours.
“Thank you for everything Boss,” Kane wrote. “A pleasure to have worked together. I wish you all the best for your next chapter.”

Mourinho a man out of time
"The Super League news - seismic and irreversible, no matter the outcome in the bitter war to follow – has coloured every piece of breaking news, transfer gossip, and match preview, and yet the circus rolls on.
"And so, for now, let us put to one side the Super League and think on Mourinho’s sacking as we would have done 24 hours ago.
"From this perspective, it is a story of a manager who, too convinced of his own genius, became trapped in the past and of a chairman who was one of the few people in football unable to see it."
Post a Comment