UEFA are free to punish the clubs who set up a breakaway European Super League last year, after a Spanish court lifted measures protecting them from sanctions.
After the project fell apart in April 2021, a different judge ruled that football's governing bodies could not impose punitive measures on the 12 clubs involved as this may prevent the ESL being established in the future, which would be against competition laws.
The decision was made shortly after UEFA hinted that the club could be prevented from taking part in the Champions League and other sanctioned competitions.
UEFA reached an agreement with the nine teams that backtracked that saw them donate to grassroots football as an apology for their actions, but Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona continue to campaign for the creation of the new competition and have fought all threats of punishment from UEFA.
Now, as reported by various sources on Thursday, the decision to block punishments has since been overturned by a Spanish commercial court.
"It has in no way been demonstrated that the threat of sanctions to the three clubs would lead to the impossibility of carrying out the project," judge Sofía Gil wrote in her ruling.
On hearing about the ruling, UEFA released a statement of their own.
"UEFA has today received the order of the Madrid court, lifting the precautionary measures in their entirety. UEFA welcomes this decision and is considering its implications. UEFA will not be making any further comment for the time being," it read.
At this stage it seems unlikely that UEFA will move to sanction the 12 clubs involved in the Super League plans. The parties have since reconciled for the most part, with alterations to the Champions League – which will take effect from the 2024/25 season – likely to subdue any opposition for the time being.
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Source : 90min