Juventus, Real Madrid, and Barcelona will not face punishment in the short term for still being part of the Super League. UEFA announced yesterday to have nullified their inquiry and sanctions. The decision stems from an order of a Madrid court, which had imposed to cancel them or face legal consequences.
The official statement reads: “Following the stay of proceedings against Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid, in the matter related to a potential violation of UEFA’s legal framework in connection with the so-called Super League, the UEFA Appeals Body has declared today the proceedings null and void, as if they had never been opened.”
According to Sky Sport, the nine other teams that had negotiated a fine with FIFA will not have to pay it. The legal battle between the parties is on hold for now. The next step will come after the Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled on the matter, which will take years.
Spanish judge Manuel Ruiz de Lara had penned in July: “UEFA is acting beyond the state of law promoting practices that compromise the principle of free competition as it pertains to organizing football tournaments inside the European Union.” He had decided that a suspension of the penalties would not have been sufficient to comply with the regulations.
Juventus president Andrea Agnelli wrote a letter to the shareholders yesterday, indicating that the Super League project is moving forward. “It aims to offer the world the best football spectacle ever seen, guaranteeing the stability of the football industry.”