FC Barcelona and Real Madrid presidents met to discuss European Super League strategy ahead of El Clasico

FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta and his counterpart Florentino Perez reportedly used their teams’ Copa del Rey semi-final first leg on Thursday to meet and strategize for the start of the European Super League (ESL ) to discuss.

Along with Juventus, the two Spanish giants are the only remaining sides publicly backing the breakaway project that threatens to dismantle the Champions League and many domestic leagues in the old continent.

Initial plans for the ESL were launched in spring 2021 but soon hit a wall after massive opposition from supporters of the six English prime ministers
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League clubs that had shown interest in forming, along with six others.

Despite their clubs being eternal enemies, Barca and Real Madrid presidents regularly meet for lunch ahead of the world’s biggest derby, known as El Clasico.

Ahead of this week’s clash that saw Barca lead 1-0 in the second leg back to the Camp Nou on April 5, the two leaders reportedly took the opportunity to discuss how the ESL can get back on track Mundo Deportivo.

Laporta and Perez were accompanied by a small group of board members and senior executives, it is said, and Barca lawyer Fernando Ledesma was also present.

The pair ‘took stock of the current Super League situation’ md Claims and “highlighted the strategy that will be pursued in the coming months, [while] taking into account that the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has to rule on the lawsuit filed against UEFA either at the end of this month or at the beginning of April.

Barca are reportedly still convinced that the ECJ will rule in their favor and that the ESL project will go ahead, with UEFA eventually giving in and backing it as well.

Last month, the A22 company tasked with overseeing the creation of the ESL revealed plans for a new 60-80 team format.

“The foundations of European football are in danger of collapsing. It’s time for a change,” said managing director Bernd Reichart, before lamenting the clubs’ lack of decision-making, because “the sporting and financial foundations are crumbling around them”.

Reports in 2021 said ESL clubs would receive 3.5 billion euros ($3.72 billion) “for infrastructure investments and to help offset their losses from the pandemic”, which would be particularly welcomed by a heavily indebted FC Barcelona.