UEFA has officially sanctioned a new-look Champions League a day after plans for a controversial breakaway European Super League were announced.

The reforms received&nbsp;unanimous backing from the ECA (European Club Association) Board and the UEFA Club Competitions Committee following what UEFA described as "extensive consultation across the football family".

Under new rules which were announced on Monday, there will be 36 teams competing in the Champions League&nbsp;instead of 32, while the present group-stage format – whereby there are eight pools of four – will be scrapped.

Each team will instead play 10 group games before advancing to a last-16 knockout format. The changes, which have&nbsp;faced criticism, will be implemented&nbsp;for&nbsp;the 2024-25 season onwards.

Similar format alterations&nbsp;will also be applied to the Europa League, with six matches in a league stage of the competition.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said: "This new format supports the status and future of the domestic game throughout Europe as well. It retains the principle that domestic performance should be the key to qualification and reconfirms the principles of solidarity right through the game and of open competition.

"This evolved format will still keep alive the dream of any team in Europe to participate in the UEFA Champions League thanks to results obtained on the pitch and it will enable long-term viability, prosperity, and growth for everyone in European football, not just a tiny, self-selected cartel.

"Football is a social and cultural treasure, enriched with values, traditions and emotions shared across our continent.&nbsp; As the governing body and responsible stewards of the European game, it is UEFA's role to safeguard this legacy while leading positive future development of football in Europe for national associations, leagues, clubs, players, and fans at every level.&nbsp;

"This is why we had an extensive consultation process over the last two years which led to the unanimous backing of our proposal and we are convinced that these reforms achieve those objectives."

The news comes following Sunday's announcement that&nbsp;12 clubs have agreed to become founders members of a rival Super League, which has been met with widespread condemnation.

Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham from the Premier League have joined with Juventus, Milan and Inter of Serie A, and LaLiga giants Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid in signing up.

Europe's top leagues vowed to do all they can to block the project and UEFA described&nbsp;the breakaway plans a&nbsp;"cynical project".

In an emphatic response, UEFA together with the English Football Association, Premier League, the Royal Spanish Football Federation, LaLiga, the Italian Football Federation and Serie A have joined forces in attempt to quell the Super League.

They reiterated a pledge to ban teams from other competitions if they take part in the Super League, while FIFA's threat of barring players from the World Cup was also alluded to.

Stats Perform

UEFA ratifies new Champions League format amid European Super League backlash

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has branded the planned&nbsp;European Super League as a "disgraceful, self-serving proposal" fuelled by greed, as well as confirming players from the 12 breakaway clubs involved will be banned from international football.

The 'big six' from the Premier League have collaborated&nbsp;with Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Inter, Juventus, Milan and Real Madrid to reveal plans for a new midweek club competition.

Those founder members would automatically qualify each season no matter where they finished in their respective domestic leagues.

Speaking during a conference call to reveal "dynamic" changes to UEFA's current European club tournaments, Ceferin made clear how results on the pitch should always decide who participates, rather than a "closed shop run by a greedy few".

"We began this project to modernise the competitions in 2019 judged by the principle it should be: an exercise in inclusive leadership," Ceferin told the media.

"At the start of the process, we were driven by a desire to help all UEFA club competitions into something even better than the spectacles we know today. With the unanimous support of the European Club Association (ECA), we consulted widely across the game.

"Teams will always qualify and compete in our competitions on merit, not a closed shop run by a greedy, select few. That was our&nbsp;decision from the beginning.

"Any club, any fans should still have the dream of participating in the Champions League based on their results on the pitch."

The European Super League plan has come in for widespread criticism and Ceferin did not hold back in his own assessment, as well making clear the&nbsp;ramifications it will have for players outside of club football.

"I must address the extraordinary situation that has developed on the eve of this announcement," he continued.

"I cannot stress more strongly at this moment that UEFA and the footballing world stand united against the disgraceful, self-serving proposal in the past 24 hours from a select few clubs in Europe that are fuelled purely by greed above all else.

"Not only is the football world united, but society is also united, governments are united. It's&nbsp;part of our culture – we are all united against this nonsense of a project.

"We have the English FA, Spanish Federation, Italian Federation, Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, and also FIFA and all our 55 member associations unanimous in opposition to this cynical plan that are completely against what football should be.

"Our game has become the greatest sport in the world based on open competition, integrity and sporting merit. We cannot allow, and we will not allow that to change, ever. Never.

"As previously announced by FIFA and the six confederations, the players that play in the teams that might play in the closed league, will be banned from playing in the World Cup and the Euros. They will not be able to represent their national teams in any matches."

UEFA announced plans for Champions League expansion that will see an&nbsp;increase to 36 teams as the present format -&nbsp;&nbsp;whereby there are eight pools of four – will be scrapped.

Instead, each team will play 10 group games before advancing to a last-16 knockout format. The changes are due to be introduced for the&nbsp;2024-25 season.

"Whoever thinks the Super League and UEFA are all about money is not right. Super League is only about money, money of the dozen – I don't want to call them the dirty dozen," Ceferin said.&nbsp;

"UEFA is about developing football, about financing what should be financed, that our football and our culture survives. Some people do not understand it.

"The reforms preserve the value of the domestic game by retaining the principle that domestic performance should be the key to qualification – this should, and will not, ever change.

"The European game is the greatest success story of the modern sport, and there's&nbsp;a reason why – because of its pyramid, it's&nbsp;long history. We are constantly adapting the European competition to ensure it is more and more interesting, more and more modern, but the principles cannot change.

"Solidarity is something that cannot change, but for some people solidarity doesn't&nbsp;exist, unity doesn't&nbsp;exist. The only thing that exists is their pockets."

European Super League: Ceferin stands firm against 'cynical plan' only about money

Thomas Tuchel refused to condemn the formation of a European Super League and is adamant he trusts Chelsea to "make the right decisions" as he called for all parties to remain calm.

Chelsea were confirmed as one of 12 founder clubs of a new semi-closed competition on Sunday, with The Super League – as it has been dubbed – attracting widespread criticism.

UEFA, in a statement co-signed by the national associations of England, Spain, Italy and those countries' respective top leagues, vowed to ban players and teams from other competitions if they become involved in the Super League.

It remains to be seen if UEFA and the domestic leagues have the power to stop the Super League, but Tuchel cut a relaxed figure amid the hysteria as he addressed the media on Monday ahead of Tuesday's meeting with Brighton and Hove Albion.

He told reporters: "I've known since yesterday, but I am here to be in the hardest competitions, it's why I came here, to play the toughest competitions in Europe.

"As you know, I don't get into the subjects around us. I was hoping to talk about Man City and Brighton but it's not the case.

"I am part of this club and I trust this club to make the right decisions. I think it's too early to judge everything and it's not my part.

"On my badge it says that everyone has to play their role. My role is to coach, be focused, and we've another game tomorrow.

Club statement.

"There are a lot of comments, arguments and opinions out there and I don't want to get involved in it because I don't know the details. I've known the general details since yesterday."

Regarding the opinions of players and staff, Tuchel added: "If I had a clear opinion right now I wouldn't mention it - it's too early to judge it and there are way too many opinions out there.

"I trust this club and my job is very clear. I am maybe not the right person to ask this of. I understand why there are many emotional reactions out there, but I don't know enough about it.

"The players were not involved in the decision making, I wasn't involved. Maybe it's a good thing to step back and not give our opinions about this. It's between the clubs and it's important to fight for the goals we still have this season."

UEFA has made its position on the Super League crystal clear regarding the potential exclusions of teams.

Whether it is able to enforce such decisions is another matter, but Tuchel hopes all parties can calm down as they look to find solutions.

Asked if he was worried about potential punishment impacting Chelsea's season, Tuchel said: "There was not too much time to get worried. Clearly, I hope not.

"Everyone wishes for a calm atmosphere and situation to have full focus. Do we have it, maybe not but it's clearly our choice if we get influenced, read too much about it, get lost in sports politics.

"We are involved in this club to play our role and make our challenge happen at the highest level. This is what I am here for. Nobody expects anything else from me, except for maybe you guys in the next few days.

"Nothing will change between me and the team. Sometimes in the middle of the storm is the calmest. Let's hope it is like this and I don't want to enter in this as it may sound like an excuse."

European Super League: Tuchel trusts Chelsea over decision but calls for calm

Hansi Flick said he made clear his intention to leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season so as not to "fool around" amid growing speculation over his future.

Flick announced following Bayern's 3-2 win over Wolfsburg on Saturday that he has requested the termination of his contract – which runs until 2023 – at the conclusion&nbsp;of the campaign.

The 56-year-old has been strongly tipped to replace Joachim Low as Germany head coach after the rescheduled Euro 2020 but, while admitting the role was an option, denied negotiations&nbsp;had already begun.

Bayern's board responded to Flick's declaration by stating it "disapproves of the unilateral communications issued by Hansi Flick" and that talks would continue after the Bundesliga champions' game with Mainz on April 24.

Flick said on the eve of Bayern's fixture with Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday: "I have a request in advance: I will not say anything today about the discussions about my statements on Saturday and about the opinion of the club.

"I wanted to tell the team personally that I asked the club to terminate my contract in the summer.&nbsp;

"It was important to me for the players to know because it has already been leaked. It was a spontaneous thing to inform the team.&nbsp;

"The logical step was then to tell the media what is happening so that I don't have to 'fool around' any further."

Flick, who said the Leverkusen game is going to be too soon for Robert Lewandowski to return from a knee injury, was asked for his thoughts on several players posting images on social media celebrating the club's period of success under the coach.

Since taking over from Niko Kovac, Flick has won six trophies with Bayern – including a Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League treble last term.

"I am very grateful to the club, I have a great, successful time here. You always have success together, not alone," Flick added.

It was announced on Sunday that 12 teams have signed up to form a breakaway European Super League, with Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham of the Premier League joining up with LaLiga heavyweights Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid along with&nbsp;Serie A trio&nbsp;Juventus, Milan and Inter.

The news has been met with widespread condemnation, while UEFA and Europe's major leagues and ruling bodies have vowed to do all they can to block the competition.

No German clubs have signed up and Flick voiced his disapproval for the plans.

"I can only say that I don't know all the details, but I stand behind the statement made by the club and Borussia Dortmund. I think it would not be good for European football," Flick said.

Flick didn't want to 'fool around' with Bayern decision

Ander Herrera has spoken out against the planned creation of a European Super League, describing clubs involved&nbsp;as "the rich stealing what the people created".

In a strongly worded post on Twitter, the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder expressed how it was pivotal in football for all clubs to be&nbsp;able to retain the dream of competing&nbsp;at the highest level.

The&nbsp;'big six' from the Premier League have combined with Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid from LaLiga, plus Serie A clubs Inter, Juventus and Milan, to propose the introduction of&nbsp;a breakaway competition to rival UEFA's&nbsp;Champions League model.

The proposal&nbsp;sees those&nbsp;12 clubs joined by eight more to play in two leagues across a span of&nbsp;midweek fixtures, followed by a two-legged knockout format to decide the eventual winners.

Those founding members – it is expected that number could&nbsp;eventually rise to 15 – will qualify each season regardless of&nbsp;their domestic league position, much to Herrera's disappointment.

"I fell in love with popular football, with the football of the fans, with the dream of seeing the team of my heart compete against the greatest,"&nbsp;Herrera wrote.

"If this European Super League advances, those dreams are over, the illusions of the fans of the teams that are not giants of being able to win on the field competing in the best competitions will end.

"I love football and I cannot remain silent about this, I believe in an improved Champions League, but not in the rich stealing what the people created, which is nothing other than the most beautiful sport on the planet."

PSG, along with 2019-20 Champions League winners Bayern Munich, have not signed up to be involved in the Super League.

Herrera moved to the French capital after five years&nbsp;with Manchester United, having&nbsp;helped the&nbsp;Red Devils win the Europa League in 2017. He also&nbsp;featured for his current employers in last season's Champions League final, while PSG are through to the last four this term.

Mesut Ozil also made clear his disapproval of the introduction of a Super League, a competition he believes will&nbsp;dilute the excitement surrounding European heavyweights going up against each other.

"Kids grow up dreaming to win the World Cup and the Champions League - not any Super League,"&nbsp;Ozil posted on Twitter, along with a broken heart emoji.

"The enjoyment of big games is that they only happen once or twice a year, not every week. Really hard to understand for all football fans out there."

European Super League: Herrera slams breakaway clubs

Tottenham's Jose Mourinho gamble has not paid off and once again Spurs find themselves at a crossroads with their next managerial appointment.

Installing Mourinho as boss, even with his astounding list of achievements, appeared a slightly bemusing decision considering the complete contrast between his pragmatic style and the more high-intensity football played by predecessor Mauricio Pochettino.

There were plenty of signs of promise, not least the 6-1 hammering of Mourinho's former employers Manchester United at Old Trafford in the infancy of a Premier League campaign that offered early promise of a title tilt.

But a run to the EFL Cup final has not done enough&nbsp;to assuage Spurs' hierarchy, who have decided to pull the trigger after a slump in form has left Tottenham seventh in the table, out of the Europa League and in serious jeopardy of missing out on Champions League football again.

So, 17 months after his appointment, Mourinho has been sacked. Here, we look at the potential candidates to replace the Portuguese.

JULIAN NAGELSMANN

Is there a more in-demand young coach in world football than RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann right now?&nbsp;

Hansi Flick dropped a huge bombshell on the world of football when he announced on Saturday that he intends to leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season, with the German national team likely to be his next venture.&nbsp;

Nagelsmann is thought to be Bayern's top target but reports in Germany suggest Leipzig will attempt to resist such a move, given it would considerably strengthen a rival.&nbsp;

The 33-year-old has long-been linked to Tottenham and the decision to wield the axe on Mourinho may have been prompted by Flick's announcement and the need to act fast to land a top target.

Another man whose name has been heavily linked with Tottenham is Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers, one of the most revered coaches in the Premier League.&nbsp;

After falling agonisingly short of leading Liverpool to the Premier League title in the 2013-14 campaign, Rodgers departed Anfield in October 2015 and went on to enjoy an excellent period of success at Celtic.&nbsp;

He has since turned Leicester into Champions League contenders over the past two seasons, playing an exciting brand of football at the same time.&nbsp;

A potential stumbling block may be the fact his contract runs until 2025 but many believe Daniel Levy sees Rodgers as the man to lead Tottenham.

MASSIMILIANO ALLEGRI

Massimiliano Allegri&nbsp;is a name that crops up pretty much any time a vacancy becomes available at a big club across Europe — and it is not hard to see why.&nbsp;

The Italian won five straight Serie A titles with Juventus, also lifting the Coppa Italia on four occasions during that golden period.&nbsp;

With a top-flight title to his name during his time at&nbsp;Milan also on his resume, Allegri has proven to be a serial winner in the past.&nbsp;

As the 53-year-old is out of work, Allegri would provide a cheaper solution than others.&nbsp;

His compatriot Maurizio Sarri, a Europa League winner with Chelsea, has also been touted — he too led Juventus to Serie A glory before being replaced by Andrea Pirlo ahead of the 2020-21 campaign.

LEDLEY KING/RYAN MASON

It seems unlikely but Spurs may decide to appoint from within.&nbsp;

One option would be to instil former captain Ledley King, who made 268 Premier League appearances for Tottenham.&nbsp;

Upon his retirement, King took up an ambassadorial role at the club and was appointed to Mourinho's coaching staff as first-team assistant last August.&nbsp;

Another who provides an internal option is Ryan Mason, who has been asked to take first-team training.&nbsp;

The former England midfielder was forced to retire at the age of 26 after fracturing his skull and has been working in Tottenham's academy coaching set up.

GERRARD, BENITEZ AND OTHER OUTSIDERS

Even the best-laid plans can go to waste and should luring Nagelsmann or Rodgers&nbsp;not come to fruition, several other interesting candidates have been mooted.&nbsp;

Chief among them is Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, who has cut his managerial teeth at Rangers and ended Celtic's dominance in Scotland by leading the club to Scottish Premiership glory this season, while a 2-0 win over their Old Firm rivals on Sunday kept&nbsp;them in the hunt for Scottish Cup glory.&nbsp;

Rafael Benitez, the man who Gerrard lifted the Champions League under at Liverpool, is another interesting name said to be in the running.&nbsp;

The Spaniard has plenty of experience in England having managed the Reds, Chelsea and Newcastle and is out of work having left Chinese side Dalian Professional back in January.&nbsp;

Fulham boss Scott Parker, a former Tottenham midfielder, and ex-Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe have also been suggested as potential alternatives.

Nagelsmann, Rodgers and the other contenders to take the Tottenham hotseat

Tottenham will be gunning for Carabao Cup glory on Sunday — but it will not be Jose Mourinho leading them out at Wembley.&nbsp;

The North Londoners have parted company with their Portuguese manager just days before they take on Manchester City as they look for a first trophy in 13 years.&nbsp;

With Mourinho’s tumultuous reign at Spurs lasting just 17 months, where did it go wrong and why have Spurs decided to act now?&nbsp;

Tottenham sat proudly at the top of the Premier League table in early December, after accumulating an impressive 25 points in their first 12 matches of the campaign.&nbsp;

Mourinho was brought to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to win trophies and at that stage it looked like he may deliver.&nbsp;

But a steady decline in results, including three consecutive league defeats in late January and early February, put an end to any hopes of an unlikely title challenge.&nbsp;

The situation has continued to deteriorate and Spurs now sit seventh, with a strong likelihood of missing out on Champions League football.&nbsp;

If that domestic record was not disappointing enough, the team’s performances in European competition have done little to lighten the mood.

After failing to qualify for the Champions League last season, Tottenham made hard work of a Europa League group filled with relative minnows.

Jose Mourinho has struggled to get a tune out of his players over the past four months

They lost to Antwerp, drew with LASK and even needed late goals to see off Lokomotiv Plovdiv and Shkendija in qualifying.&nbsp;

Then, as rivals Arsenal cruised through to the semi-final stage, Spurs suffered a humiliating exit at the hands of Dinamo Zagreb in the last 16.&nbsp;

Having become accustomed to exciting, high-tempo football under Mauricio Pochettino, Mourinho’s brand of pragmatism was always likely to jar with the Tottenham fanbase.&nbsp;

While there was an acceptance of their manager’s methods when the team were grinding out victories, supporters’ patience was undoubtedly wearing thin with results declining.&nbsp;

Spurs have looked utterly disjoined at times this season, entirely reliant on Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son to conjure chances while their team-mates appeared devoid of creativity.&nbsp;

Much has been made of Tottenham’s defensive deficiencies this season — although their record of 1.16 goals conceded per 90 minutes is actually the sixth-best record in the division.&nbsp;

But only seven Premier League teams have allowed more shots against them from inside the box than Spurs’ 8.47 per 90. And Mourinho’s constant tinkering with his centre-back pairing has undoubtedly been a factor in their difficulties at the back.

Toby Alderweireld, Eric Dier, Davinson Sanchez and Joe Rodon have been used in a variety of different combinations with little success.&nbsp;

When quizzed on this last week, Mourinho defended his approach.&nbsp;

He said: "Because one of the things that you — the media generally — and always for players in general, the perception is that everybody wants to play, everybody wants opportunities.

Jose Mourinho was publicly critical of players such as Dele Alli

"When they don’t do it you always ask [about] the players not playing and why not. You can look at it in a different perspective.

"You can always play the same two or say that kind of rotation which gives opportunities equally to everyone."&nbsp;

Mourinho has struggled with the man-management side of the game in recent years and his spell with Spurs was no exception.&nbsp;

The 58-year-old has publicly criticised a number of first-team squad members this season, most notably Gareth Bale and Dele Alli.&nbsp;

When you factor in his sidelining of Harry Winks, there was a strong sense that Mourinho was not getting the best out of the players at his disposal.&nbsp;

For that reason, alongside few signs of progress on the pitch, Tottenham’s patience with their high-profile manager ultimately ran out.

LiveScore

Jose Mourinho’s tumultuous reign at Tottenham lasted just 17 months. But where did it go wrong and why have Spurs decided to act now?

In Focus: Why Spurs decided time was up for the Special One in North London

Off the pitch matters take centre stage in the world of sport today as football comes to terms with Sunday’s European Super League announcement.&nbsp;

On top of that, Jose Mourinho’s time at Tottenham has come to an end, while Liverpool take on Leeds in the Premier League this evening.

The proposed breakaway Super League has rocked football since the plans were leaked on Sunday, ahead of an official announcement overnight.

Twelve clubs, including Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal, have signed up to be founding members of the proposed tournament, alongside the biggest clubs in Spain and Italy.

But what does it mean for football? What will happen to the Premier League and the Champions League?

We have put together a guide with everything you need to know about the European Super League — and you can find plenty of reaction from the game's biggest names on the site.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.livescore.com/en/news/european-super-league-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-proposed-breakaway-tournament-2021041910042792408/" target="_blank">Read more: All you need to know about the European Super League</a>

Mourinho has been sacked by Tottenham — just days before they face Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final.&nbsp;

The former Chelsea and Manchester United manager's difficult reign was brought to a premature end after less than 18 months in charge with Spurs looking unlikely to qualify for the Champions League.

Jose Mourinho's time as Tottenham boss has come to an end

The North Londoners host Southampton in the Premier League on Wednesday before Sunday’s showpiece final against City and chairman Daniel Levy has decided now is the time to act.

You will find all the latest news from Spurs throughout the day right here on LiveScore.

<a href="https://www.livescore.com/en/news/jose-mourinho-parts-company-with-tottenham-2021041909384266214/" target="_blank">Read more: Mourinho sacked by Tottenham</a>

Leeds welcome Liverpool to Elland Road looking for their fourth consecutive Premier League victory as they continue to impress after winning promotion last season.

The Whites’ 2-1 victory at Manchester City last time out was the standout moment in a memorable season and they will look to put a dent in the Reds’ hopes of a top-four finish tonight.

Marcelo Bielsa must now turn his attention towards the next campaign to ensure second season syndrome does not set in.

We assess what Leeds must do to make sure they build on their success.

<a href="https://www.livescore.com/en/news/leeds-vs-liverpool-premier-league-match-preview-how-marcelo-bielsa-can-help-leeds-march-on-next-season-2021041615001409865/" target="_blank">Read more: In Focus: How Bielsa can make sure Leeds go marching on together</a>

Off the pitch matters take centre stage in the world of sport today as football comes to terms with Sunday’s European Super League announcement.

Today on LiveScore: Super League latest and Jose gets the sack

The football world has been shaken to the core after news of a breakaway European Super League was announced last night.

Twelve of the biggest clubs in Europe have schemed behind the scenes to put together a new competition to change the landscape of the game as we know it.

We have pulled together everything you need to know about the potential competition, including why it is being universally criticised.

Put together by the owners of 12 of Europe’s most powerful clubs, the Super League would be a new midweek competition.

Their plan is for 15 founding members to gain automatic entry into the tournament each season, with five others invited based on their domestic performances.

The clubs currently signed up are Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Tottenham, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan.

What they want want is more glamorous games against glamorous opponents, which in turn would generate huge amounts of money.

Interestingly, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have declined to join at this stage — and been publicly thanked by UEFA for doing so.

<a href="https://www.livescore.com/en/news/european-super-league-english-fa-gets-ready-to-block-clubs-joining-breakaway-competition-2021041817314510168/" target="_blank">Read more: FA ready to block clubs from joining rebel competition</a>

It is not the first time this has been threatened but never before have clubs released statements and had plans so far advanced.

The statement on the websites of those involved states: "The formation of the Super League comes at a time when the global pandemic has accelerated the instability in the existing European football economic model.&nbsp;

Liverpool owner John Henry (right) is one of the key drivers behind the new competition

"Further, for a number of years, the founding clubs have had the objective of improving the quality and intensity of existing European competitions throughout each season, and of creating a format for top clubs and players to compete on a regular basis."

The American owners of Liverpool, United and Arsenal, combined with the long-held desire of Real president Florentino Perez and Juve chairman Andrea Agnelli to break away from their occasionally dull domestic competitions, have helped the league move closer to reality than ever before.

They do not see the value in playing teams such as Fulham, Getafe and Brescia domestically when they could be facing fellow super clubs on a regular basis.

Added to that, the impending Champions League reforms, which will increase the number of games played and guarantee spots for historically successful sides if they fail to qualify on merit, seems to have led to the rushed approach over the weekend.

The statement added: "The founding clubs believe the solutions proposed following these talks do not solve fundamental issues, including the need to provide higher-quality matches and additional financial resources for the overall football pyramid."

<a href="https://www.livescore.com/en/news/european-super-league-carragher-brands-liverpool-an-embarrassment-for-signing-up-2021041823423044365/" target="_blank">Read more: Carragher slams Liverpool for signing up to Super League</a>

The Super League is not intended as a replacement for domestic competitions, even if it will inevitably harm the Premier League, LaLiga and Serie A.

All the games would be midweek fixtures, with two groups of 10 playing each other home and away to qualify for the knockout phase.

The top three would get there automatically, with the teams finishing fourth and fifth facing a two-legged play-off to try and make the final eight.

Tottenham and Arsenal would be guaranteed entry despite their recent Premier League struggles

It means the finalists would either play 15 or 17 midweek games, an increase on the 13 any sides who make the Champions League final currently play.

It is also not clear how five 'invitees' would be chosen to join the 15 founding clubs.

<a href="https://www.livescore.com/en/news/european-super-league-fifa-expresses-disapproval-of-breakaway-competition-2021041823222933665/" target="_blank">Read more: FIFA express 'disapproval' of breakaway competition</a>

<h2>Why the negative reaction?</h2>

It is not unfair to say the reaction to the Super League has been universally negative.

All you need to know about the potential European Super League, including why it is being universally criticised by football's governing bodies, fans and pundits.

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Today on LiveScore: Super League latest and Jose gets the sack

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