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Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez has backed a major reform of the European football calendar, with “new formulas” needed to make football “more competitive and exciting.”
The apparent reference to a European Super League, which has been touted as a replacement for the Champions League, is the latest sign that La Liga’s biggest clubs are in favor of such a project.
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In October, outgoing Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu revealed that the club had provisionally agreed to participate.
“The pandemic has changed everything. It has made us all more vulnerable, and also the world of football,” Pérez said at the annual meeting of Real Madrid members.
“Football needs new formulas to make it stronger, more competitive and more exciting. As always, Real Madrid has to stay at the forefront of this sport. Our club has participated in all the necessary innovations over the years.
“The model needs a boost. Football must face these new times.
“Everyone supports the reform of the current competitive landscape. Football fans themselves are finding a calendar saturation. Football reform cannot wait and must be addressed as soon as possible.”
The assembly, which was held remotely for the first time, saw Real Madrid partners [members] approves the club’s accounts for the 2019-20 season, with a reduction in revenue of 106 million euros (13%) due to the impact of the coronavirus, caused in large part by the closure of the Santiago Bernabéu stadium.
The club expects its 2020-21 revenue to be € 300 million below what it would have been if pre-pandemic growth had continued.
The Super League project, although many key details remain vague, clubs such as Real Madrid would be expected to significantly increase their revenue on TV rights deals and other associated revenue.
“The big European clubs have millions of fans around the world,” added Pérez. “We have the responsibility to fight for this change … Our duty is to adapt to this reality so that football continues to be the most demanded content. That is why we must improve competitiveness and quality.”
Source: espn.co.uk
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