Debate continues to swirl within Spanish and European sports media regarding the preliminary agreement reached between Florentino Pérez, president of Real Madrid, and European football’s governing body, UEFA, alongside the European Club Association. This accord aims to settle the protracted legal disputes surrounding the proposed Super League project. The discourse is sharply divided, with some factions interpreting the move as a capitulation by the Spanish giants, while others herald it as a landmark strategic victory.
This development follows closely on the heels of an announcement by Barcelona, Real Madrid’s historic rival, confirming its withdrawal from the Super League initiative. Originally launched in April 2021 by a consortium of major European clubs, spearheaded by Real Madrid, the project faced significant obstruction from UEFA, aided by various European governments. Consequently, the Madrid club found itself as the sole remaining entity committed to the venture.
A “Historic Step” or a Strategic Retreat?
Prominent Spanish journalist and analyst for Real Madrid’s television channel, Jesús Bengoechea, has emerged as a vocal proponent of the latter, more triumphant view. Taking to his account on the platform X this Wednesday, Bengoechea contended that the agreement constitutes a “historic step, not a document of surrender as promoted by the press we suffer from.” He asserted that the deal will catalyze a transformation of European football through new mechanisms, details of which are slated for future announcement.
Elaborating on the key provisions, Bengoechea highlighted Real Madrid’s relinquishment of any financial claims it intended to pursue against UEFA. Furthermore, the agreement paves the way for a reformatting of the competition’s structure and the integration of advanced technology into live broadcasting. This technological shift, he suggested, could potentially enable fans to watch football free of charge or at significantly reduced prices via streaming platforms.
“This achievement would not have been possible,” Bengoechea emphasized, “without the ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union that terminated the monopoly.” He credited this legal precedent with granting Real Madrid and Florentino Pérez substantial gains concerning the organizational framework of European football. The analyst went further, predicting that “the full impact of this decision will be devastating, as we will soon realize,” and characterized the agreement as an “absolute success, even though everyone sees it as a resounding failure.” He promised to divulge more specifics at a later date.
According to reports from the Spanish newspaper “AS”, the terms of the settlement stipulate Real Madrid’s return to a stable position under UEFA’s umbrella. All judicial conflicts linked to the Super League are to be resolved, with the club withdrawing its compensation claim—which had reached a staggering 4.5 billion euros and was being channeled through the company A22. All ongoing lawsuits are mandated to be closed upon the signing of the final agreement.