Football 'needs' European Super League to stop Premier League dominance - Joan Laporta
Barcelona president Joan Laporta wants UEFA to get on board with a European Super League because football "needs it" to stop Premier League clubs from running away from the rest.
Barca, Real Madrid and Juventus remain standing from the 12 founder members of the Super League project in their pursuit of a new competition for Europe's top clubs.
They argue UEFA's governance of European football constitutes an illegal monopoly under EU competition, but an advisory opinion from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) last week sided with UEFA.
A final ruling is expected in 2023, though, and Laporta said he remains "optimistic" and told UEFA it is not too late for the governing body to change its stance on the creation of a new competition.
"We have to reform how European football works," Laporta told Barca TV in a wide-ranging interview to mark the end of 2022 on Thursday.
"The Premier League will pass from €5 billion to €7bn in television rights -- and LaLiga from €2bn to €1.7bn. LaLiga teams cannot compete with Premier League sides. [Barca] compete because of our history, but [English sides] have more and more resources all the time. This has to change.
"We hope the final court resolution in the spring will be favourable and in the interest of the clubs and free competition in Europe, which is the argument with UEFA.
"We are working hard to improve the competition for the financial sustainability of the clubs and to change the governance model, because in the football industry, it's the clubs that make the least [money]. That cannot be the case.
"I am optimistic. I think the final resolution will have an impact similar to the Bosman ruling. The clubs need the power to create and govern our [own] competition.
"UEFA should be at the governing table with us. And if they aren't, we could find investment from a country outside the EU with resources to organise a competition. I think football needs it. But I always try to create dialogue, [whether] with UEFA, LaLiga... we are open to talking."
Joan Laporta wants UEFA to back a European Super League because football "needs it" to stop the Premier League running away from the rest.
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