FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - 2023 Ballon d'Or - Chatelet Theatre, Paris, France - October 30, 2023 FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta poses before the awards REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq/File Photo
(Reuters) - Barcelona President Joan Laporta said the European Super League could take off next season or at least by the 2025-26 campaign, but if it fails to, the LaLiga side will have to reevaluate everything.
The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled in December that European soccer's governing body, UEFA, and its global counterpart, FIFA, breached EU law when they prevented 12 clubs from forming a Super League.
However, clubs and leagues came together to denounce the project, committing to playing in competitions run by UEFA.
Barca, along with rivals Real Madrid, are the only clubs still supporting the breakaway Super League project.
"The Super League could start next season, or it will be in 2025-26, and if not, I will rethink everything," Laporta told Catalan radio station RAC1.
Manchester United were one of the 12 clubs involved in the formation of the Super League in April 2021 but pulled out due to pressure from fans, governments and players.
Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur were the other five Premier League clubs involved before pulling out.
The Premier League said they would face a 30-point deduction if they attempted a similar move in future and each would be fined 25 million pounds ($32 million) for any such breakaway attempt.
"Whether or not the English come, I don't care. They already have a Super League with the Premier League," Laporta said.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard)
