Atlético Madrid chief executive Miguel Ángel Gil Marin has criticised the latest developments in the Super League project, blaming it for “creating uncertainty” and saying the proposals are “just about vindication for one club.”
Super League promotors A22 relaunched the Super League earlier in December as the “Unify League” and asked football’s governing bodies, UEFA and FIFA to formally recognise their right to organise a new competition.
Atlético Madrid were one of the original Super League’s 12 founding member clubs, but soon became the first Spanish club to withdraw from the project, leaving Real Madrid — the scheme’s principal backers — and Barcelona as the only LaLiga representatives.
“At one time [the Super League] was a project based on a closed league, which would protect a few, and put the European football pyramid in danger,” Gil Marin said in an interview with Atlético’s in-house media on Friday.
“Now it’s just about vindication for one club, in its stubborn fight against the system. I honestly believe the best way to change things that you don’t agree with is doing so from within. From the outside, however big the club is, the only thing you achieve is creating uncertainty for television channels and sponsors, and with that, slow down the growth of the competitions in their current formats.
“UEFA and the European Club Association, which represent the system, have adapted their competitions with the aim of allowing clubs from more countries to participate, thanks to the three European competitions: the Champions League, the Europa League and the Conference League. And at the same time, they’ve ensured that the big clubs make more money.”
By contrast, Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez attacked UEFA’s reforms in his speech to the club’s AGM of members in November, and reiterated his support for the Super League.
On Friday, Atlético’s Gil Marin also called for limits on the number of games top players can be involved in, to protect their health.
“This is a season that’s especially crowded for some clubs,” Gil Marin said. “In my opinion, the solution should be limiting the number of games that each player can play during a season, for their club and their national team. It’s our obligation to protect the players.”
Atlético go into 2025 top of the LaLiga table — after a dramatic 2-1 win at title rivals Barcelona on Dec. 21 — having invested heavily in new signings Julián Álvarez, Alexander Sørloth, Conor Gallagher and Robin Le Normand last summer.
“We knew we had to make changes in the squad, and sign various important players in key positions,” Gil Marin said. “And that meant a significant investment, because it involved top, international players… I’m convinced we took the right approach, and after a period of adaptation, we’re seeing the contribution of those signings in the performance of the team.”
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