Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack has warned of a “Trojan horse towards a European Super League” that will double the gulf in finances Celtic and Rangers hold over Scottish Premiership clubs.
Cormack fears European football will be “changed forever” after the European Court of Justice, the EU’s most senior court, ruled Fifa and Uefa acted unlawfully in blocking the creation of the European Super League (ESL).
The Pittodrie chief is concerned the ruling will be the catalyst for the formation of three European leagues with only club’s inside the top 60 rankings, like Celtic and Rangers, included.
Clubs outside the top 60, like Aberdeen, would effectively be frozen out.
The Dons currently sit 126th in the Uefa club rankings having recently competed in the Europa Conference League group stages.
Cormack also fears the ruling will open up the route for the formation of cross-border leagues which will see the commercial value “plunge” of clubs not involved.
Cormack says Scotland “have slept-walked our way into this without any discussion”.
However he insists Aberdeen had been expecting this decision for some time and have been in discussion with “like-minded clubs across Europe” with the view to delivering Euro competition with similarly competitive clubs.
Cormack took to social media to state his views.
He wrote: “This ruling will most likely change European football forever.
“Replacing the three current European cup competitions will be approximately 60 clubs forming three leagues based on ranking and being guaranteed a minimum 14 European club games each season… with the only opportunity for clubs ranked 61+ being to go through qualification rounds to enter the third league only, where there will be relegation.
“This will be the Trojan horse towards a European Super League and ultimately cross border leagues, because when the biggest clubs leave their national leagues the commercial value for the remaining teams will plunge.”
This ruling will most likely change European football forever.
Replacing the 3 current European cup competitions will be approx. 60 clubs forming 3 leagues based on ranking and being guaranteed a minimum 14 European club games each season… with the only opportunity for clubs… https://t.co/GZqDo6WcG8
— Dave Cormack (@CormackDavie) December 21, 2023
Aberdeen planning for Euro change
The ruling is a massive blow to Uefa and Fifa.
Twelve clubs, including the English Premier League’s ‘big six’ – announced the formation of the original European Super League in April 2021.
The plan collapsed in the face of fan protests and governing bodies Uefa and Fifa.
However the European Court of Justice has ruled that banning clubs from joining a European Super League was unlawful.
A case was brought by the ESL and its backers claiming Uefa and Fifa were breaking competition law by threatening to sanction those who joined the breakaway league.
Europe’s highest court found against the governing Uefa and FIFA.
The European Court of Justice did clarify that the ruling did not mean a breakaway league would “necessarily be approved”.
This week Aberdeen celebrated the 40th anniversary of winning the Super Cup, the only Scottish club to win two European trophies.
Aberdeen recently competed in the group stages of Europe for the first time in 16 years.
The Dons failed to qualify for the knock-out phase but concluded the campaign with a 2-0 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt at Pittodrie.
Cormack said: “Your board at Aberdeen FC has been expecting this decision for some time.
“Throughout our history, including this season’s group stages, the appetite for European football if anything has grown significantly.
“We are working with like-minded clubs across Europe to make sure we do our utmost to deliver European club competition with similarly competitive clubs, the absence of which will lead to double the current gap in finances versus Celtic and Rangers, who will be included in those 60 ranked teams.
“As usual, in Scotland, we have slept-walked our way into this without any discussion.”
Conversation