A22 chief executive Bernd Reichert says a new-look European Super League would be a competition with no permanent members and based on sporting performance.
A22 Sports Management is a company that promotes a new European league.
The company backed a 12-club ESL proposal in 2021 which failed to materialize after protests against it.
“The foundations of European football are in danger of collapsing,” Reichert told German newspaper Die Welt.
“It’s time for a change. It’s the clubs that bear the business risk in football.
“But when important decisions are at stake, they are often forced to sit quietly as the sport and financial foundations collapse around them.”
ESL’s original plans in 2021 had 20 teams – 12 founding members and three unnamed clubs they expected to join later, plus five clubs that qualified annually based on their domestic success.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham pulled out of the plan within 48 hours after widespread condemnation.
Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus, however, are still pushing for the ESL.
Reichert says the new ESL will have 60 to 80 teams, is guaranteed at least 14 matches per season and will continue to play in its domestic leagues. A22 did not provide further details on the format.
In December, UEFA and FIFA won significant support in their bid to block the creation of a European Super League.
In a report issued by the European Court of Justice, its advocate general said the rules of football’s European and world governing bodies were “compatible with EU competition law”.
It was claimed that UEFA and FIFA were breaking competition law by threatening to ban clubs and players who joined a breakaway league.
A final decision will be made by the 15-member Grand Chamber in the spring.
The Super League is the wolf – Tebas
Despite the order, A22 is engaged in “comprehensive discussions with stakeholders across Europe on the future of club football”.
It has also drawn up 10 principles, including broad-based and merit-based competition and development and finance for women’s football, which will form the basis of the new ESL.
“Our discussions have also made it clear that clubs often find it impossible to speak out publicly against a system that uses the threat of sanctions to thwart opposition,” added Reichert.
“Our discussions were open, honest, constructive and resulted in clear ideas about what changes were needed and how they could be implemented.
“There is a lot to do and we will continue our discussions.”
La Liga president Javier Tebas has been critical of ESL and has condemned the new proposals.
He wrote on social media, “Super League is the wolf who today is posing as a granny to try to make a fool of European football.”
“But his nose and his teeth are huge, four divisions in Europe? Surely a first for them, as in the 2019 reforms. Managed by clubs? Surely only the big ones.”
In a statement, La Liga cited a report by business group KPMG as a “direct threat” to domestic leagues around the continent.
“The reality is that they are reshaping European football for the benefit and financial security of the big clubs,” the statement said. “The recommendations suggest there will be no impact on the calendar. An odd assumption with more teams and more games.
“Where will the promised revenue come from, if not from the national leagues? The bottom line is that Super League is a disaster for the national leagues. It will sink small and medium-sized clubs across Europe, which European football will be destroyed.” As we know.”
Football Supporters’ Association chief executive Kevin Miles also criticized ESL’s new proposals, saying open competition in the Champions League was already being considered.
“The walking corpse that is the European Super League is once again writhing with all the self-awareness associated with a zombie,” Miles said.
“They say ‘dialogue with fans and independent fan groups is essential’, yet the European Zombie League marches on – willfully ignorant of contempt supporters across the continent.”
