The Champions League meeting between Barcelona and PSG was always going to be a tense one for a number of reasons.
Firstly, they would get to face Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, two players who have become foes of the Barcelona fanbase due to different reasons entirely. The latter, of course, enjoying his villain arc.
The two clubs have also developed a sort of rivalry in Europe, with very regular meetings over the last decade in the knockout rounds, with the last few games – including the remontada ending up particularly heated.
Finally, both clubs’ polar and rather vocal stances on the European Super League, which meant an unrelaxed meeting between the administrations as well.
While Barcelona president Joan Laporta is pushing for the ESL, PSG head Nasser Al-Khelaifi has publicly opposed it, claiming that PSG will never be a part of it.
PSG president pushing for ESL dissolution. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
Al-Khelaifi slams Barcelona and ESL
And he has also slammed Laporta’s position over the same, saying that he spoke to him when the two sides met in the Champions League recently.
“I asked Laporta, ‘When will you stop this stupidity of the Super League?’” he said, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.
Al-Khelaifi also serves as the president of the European Club Association (ECA), and has always backed the Champions League as the most important Europan competition.
“For me, the Super League does not exist. The Champions League is the best club competition in the world. They are playing it, we have faced each other in the quarterfinals. I trust they will stop them soon, because it doesn’t make sense. I have always said that the door to return is open,” he added about the situation.
Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Juventus are the only three clubs still publicly pushing the European Super League agenda, hoping to bring the competition into existence by next year after convincing other clubs.
Source link : https://barcauniversal.com/stupidity-psg-president-slams-barcelona-president-for-the-european-super-league/
Author : Udhav Arora
Publish date : 2024-04-24 14:43:43
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