Hans Joachim Watzke says the Bundesliga club are fully behind the proposed Champions League reform and won’t be involved in a potential breakaway
Borussia Dortmund have confirmed that they will not be one of the clubs joining the proposed Super League.
Plans for the formation of a new European competition were unveiled on Sunday, with 12 founding clubs having already signed up for the competition which has been designed to rival the current Champions League.
It has been reported that three more clubs will soon be added to the founders list, with a further five teams set to be granted entry if they meet certain qualification requirements – but Dortmund have distanced themselves from the project.
What has been said?
BVB chief executive Hans Joachim Watzke revealed the club’s stance on the Super League in an official statement, while also confirming that they are fully behind the proposed Champions League reforms that are set to be voted on this week.
“The board members of the European Club Association (ECA) came together for a virtual meeting on Sunday evening, where it was agreed that the board’s decision from last Friday still stands,” said Watzke.
“This decision dictates that all clubs wish to implement the proposed reforms to the UEFA Champions League. The ECA board members took a clear stance in rejecting plans for the establishment of a Super League.”
Watzke went on to substantiate reports that Bayern Munich have also opted out of the competition, adding: “Both German clubs on the ECA board, FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, shared exactly the same stance throughout all discussions.”
Which clubs have already signed up to the Super League?
The Premier League will be represented in the Super League by the traditional “big six”, with Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham all set to participate.
Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Barcelona have also been included, with the three clubs currently making up La Liga’s top three teams, while Juventus, Inter and Milan have joined from Italy’s Serie A.
Who else has declined to participate?
Dortmund are the largest European club to publicly confirm that they will not be involved in the Super League, but Watzke’s comments suggest that Bayern will soon follow suit.
It has also been reported that Paris Saint-Germain have ruled out taking part, with one of their first-team stars Ander Herrera having already condemned the plans on social media.