UEFA drop all legal proceedings, nullify all fines against Super League clubs

The saga of the Super League is officially over, in every last aspect, at least for now (until its next variation rears its inevitable head — perhaps in a UEFA-branded guise).

All those involved have emerged scot-free, including the three clubs who had steadfastly held on even after everyone else quickly jumped ship — namely Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus — as UEFA have decided to drop all proceedings and vacated all previous punishments, declaring them “null and void”. In their words, it is “as if the proceedings have never been opened”.

So, those three teams won’t face any legal repercussions, while the others, including Chelsea, will not have to pay the fines levied on them by UEFA back in May, which included a combined €15m between the nine “reconciled” teams and a 5 per cent reduction in revenue payments from UEFA competitions. The €15m was set to take the form of a donation to grassroots football efforts, so it would be nice if the teams involved still got together to do so, but I’m not holding my breath.

UEFA insist that they remain steadfast in their aims to “defend the interests of UEFA and of all football stakeholders” — probably in that order.

P.S.: Just to prove that a Super League is only one of many un-killable idea among many, we have seen recent rumors of FIFA again pushing for biennial World Cups (rather than quadrennial), and the Premier League again discussing the idea of a 39th game in hushed tones behind secret doors. We’re all just suckling at the teat of commercialism, after all.