Spanish FA president Rubiales wishes for domestic reforms, not Super League

Rubiales is a member of the UEFA committee currently discussing planned changes for the Champions League in 2024.

Published : Feb 12, 2021 17:15 IST , MADRID

Rubailes remains optimistic that a European Super League will not happen outside of the UEFA- REUTERS
Rubailes remains optimistic that a European Super League will not happen outside of the UEFA- REUTERS
lightbox-info

Rubailes remains optimistic that a European Super League will not happen outside of the UEFA- REUTERS

Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales hopes there will not be a breakaway European Super League , but admitted the continent's current domestic league format needs restructuring.

Rubiales, who is a member of the UEFA committee currently discussing planned changes for the Champions League in 2024, said that European football’s governing body needs to be in charge of any reforms to the game.

"Football is evolving, and UEFA have to be the ones charged with that evolution,” Rubiales told Cadena SER radio station.

"Yes, big clubs need to play games because they attract huge audiences, but I hope the Super League doesn’t happen. That means leagues need to think about how to reduce the number of games that are played.

"We’ve (in Spain) got a league with 38 games, and reform can only be done in two ways: either you reduce the number of sides in the league or you change the format," he added.

ALSO READ: Leagues caution football nations on Champions League revamp

Spanish powerhouses Real Madrid and Barcelona are often reported as being two of the main advocates for a breakaway Super League, and Rubiales admitted that a delicate balance will need to be struck when it comes to appeasing different clubs.

“Clubs won’t want to reduce the number of teams in the division, so you’ve got to look for another format with, say, 33 match days and perhaps that sees more than two Clasicos played. We can sit down with La Liga and talk about the dreams that (president Javier) Tebas has.

“I’m an optimist. There’s not going to be a breakaway Super League outside UEFA. (UEFA President Aleksander) Ceferin knows football inside out, he’ll provide more support for the big boys but won’t forget about the smaller clubs, either," he said.

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment