Posted by Increasing polarization has stripped many of Europe’s most important leagues of any intrigue at the top, and the Super League proposal would remove the prospect of upward mobility that kept fans engaged.
The phrase “anything can happen in football” is one of the sport’s most repeated dogmas. That common utterance has long since ceased to be the case in many of the old continent’s top flights, however, with a select group of elite clubs rarely budging from their comfortable perches at the summit of the standings.
The Super League cabal has strengthened their grip on Serie A, La Liga and the Premier League over the past 15 years. During that period Leicester City (2016-17) are the only team outside of Europe’s dastardly dozen to experience the joys of a title triumph.
Predicting who finishes top of the pile in those tournaments has become an increasingly straightforward exercise as the economic disparity between the haves and the have-nots has grown, but international cup competitions have allowed the small fry to pit their wits against the big boys on a more level playing field. Atalanta have no Scudetto successes to show for their impressive rise, but Champions League qualification has given them the opportunity to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Real Madrid and PSG.
That type of feel-good story is precisely what the Super League seeks to destroy. Although the specifics of the new tournament’s five rotating spots are not yet known, it will certainly be more difficult for a team like La Dea to rub shoulders with the aristocracy.
Even though status is not as fluid as it used to be in the game’s upper echelons, under the current system even the most powerful clubs can suffer fallow periods. Inter spent eight straight seasons outside the top three before Antonio Conte righted a listing ship last term, while Milan haven’t participated in the Champions League since the 2013-14 campaign.
There is a similar story over in England, with city rivals Arsenal and Tottenham both battling to restore former glories. The Gunners have had a particularly tough time of it in recent years, with apathetic owner Stan Kroenke overseeing a steady decline from Premier League royalty to mid-table struggler.
If the Super League comes to fruition, Europe’s terrible 12 will no longer have to worry about the negative consequences of prolonged mismanagement. The mind-blowing sums of capital on offer would make their domestic hegemony all the more pronounced.
That is contingent on those clubs getting their way, with FIFA and UEFA intent on barring them access to their respective first divisions. It’s hard to imagine Serie A without Juventus or La Liga without Barcelona, but the departure of those greedy giants could be a blessing in disguise.
With those mega clubs out of the picture, competitive balance could slowly be restored. Fans could once again experience the excitement that comes with a less predictable top flight. Although it may take some getting used to, that would be a better outcome than what the current status quo offers.
Just for Kicks 