The European Super League (ESL) was collapsing on Tuesday night after all six English clubs announced their intentions to withdraw from the competition, less than 48 hours after it was launched.
The dramatic turn of events came after the six clubs, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur faced a furious backlash from fans and the British government.
Chelsea was the first to go followed by Manchester City and then, shortly before 11 pm, by Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham.
Manchester United’s executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward, a key architect of the planned breakaway, also resigned after his position became untenable.
Meanwhile, in the early hours on Wednesday, the Super League vowed to “reshape the project”, insisting it could still go ahead. ESL said in a statement:
Despite the announced departure of the English clubs, forced to take such decisions due to the pressure on them, we are convinced our proposal is fully aligned with European law and regulations.
Given the current circumstances, we shall reconsider the most appropriate steps to reshape the project, always having in mind our goals of offering fans the best experience possible while enhancing solidarity payments for the entire football community.
As it stands, Italian clubs AC Milan, Internazionale and Juventus as well as the Spanish trio Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid and Barcelona are the only teams left in the competition.