Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos has insisted European clubs don’t need UEFA and is hopeful that the proposed Super League will come to fruition.
- Kroos believes UEFA is no “Samaritan”
- Backs new format of Super League
- Hits out against Nations League
WHAT HAPPENED? The Super League is on the cards once again with a new proposal that will see 60-80 teams involved in a multi-divisional format, although that is set to exclude English clubs. It is a restructured blueprint where inclusion would be based on sporting performance, rather than having guaranteed membership like the first time around. Real Madrid stalwart Kroos believes that this format is beneficial for all stakeholders, with his club president Florentino Perez one of the brains behind the operation, and has slammed UEFA as being “no Samaritan” for European football.
WHAT THEY SAID: “I think we will see the Super League. And I believe so for several reasons. The idea of the Super League has changed and deserves to be heard. If you look carefully from both angles, you will see that UEFA is by no means a great Samaritan for football fans and that the Super League has no plans, at least in the second attempt, to exclude any team, because there will be no permanent founding members. It is a sports competition, an open tournament, but managed by the clubs and not by UEFA, because these clubs believe that they do not need UEFA for that. I think this deserves at least one chance,” he said on his latest podcast Einfach mal Luppen.
“Although we have already talked about the loss of passion for football, I believe that the Super League has the opportunity to reverse that situation. Let there be more enthusiasm and emotion for the games that we will be able to see. Because in the end, let’s not fool ourselves, many people always say: ‘Who wants to see Real Madrid against Manchester City every week?’ But have you gotten tired of watching Federer against Nadal over and over again? I don’t. That’s my opinion,” he added.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Kroos further slammed UEFA for introducing the Nations League and labelled it a competition that “no one needs”. “I think we have only heard the UEFA side, and too often in my opinion. Why is it OK for UEFA to introduce a Nations League that no one needs? Suddenly no one asks them about it. That’s why I think it’s incredibly important to listen to other proposals like the Super League. I get the feeling that we are no longer being listened to,” he said.
WHAT NEXT FOR KROOS? The midfielder will be in action on Saturday when Real Madrid face Osasuna in La Liga.
Source: Goal
