We care about fans, says a man fans despise

The Super League project has been put on ice, at least for now. The fans don't want it, the players don't want it, but the clubs' owners do – and that will probably prove pivotal in the future. Talking to Cadena Ser, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez said that he was shocked by the insults in the media and explained again why the new competition is still a good idea.

Although 'sad and disappointed' with recent events, Perez says it's in the fans' best interest to have the new competition because they don't want to watch their big clubs in matches against lesser opposition.

"I am sad. We have been working for three years. LaLiga is untouchable, where you have to get some money is weekdays. The Champions format is obsolete and only has an interest in the quarterfinals. Last season 650 million have been lost, and this format does not work. We came up with a format where the most important teams in Europe play starting at the beginning of the season. You can get more money where the big ones don't lose by being in solidarity with others."

The talk of solidarity didn't get much traction in the public as all clubs apart from the 12 founding teams felt betrayed morally and financially. The idea of money trickling down to smaller teams was looking far-fetched at best, and it hardly surprising to see people who care about the so-called small clubs raise their voice in protest. Still, Mr Perez was stunned.

"I have never seen such aggression from the UEFA president. It has been orchestrated. I have never seen it. Threats and insults. As if we had killed someone. Football must be saved."

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It seems that having less competitive matches is not quite the real problem, but it's the lack of money. Again, it's about the money and not about the sport. It's about the possibility of charging the new generation of fans who will be watching online.

"Life changes. When two decades pass, generations appear that demand new things. Football is spectacular, but we must take care of it. We have to make competitive matches, that they see it on the new platforms."

The wealthiest clubs already have many high-quality players in their ranks, but Florentino Perez needs more money to make even bigger stars a part of his club. It's never enough.

"It is impossible for there to be big signings if the money does not flow. Perhaps we have not been able to explain it well. They have not even let us say what solidarity is. We are going to push forward with the idea of the Super League. We have been working on this project for many years. It's impossible to make signings like Mbappe and Haaland without the Super League."

The ordinary football people celebrated a win over the rich and greedy, but the celebrations might prove a tad premature.