Why the European Super League is not good for Manchester United

The world of football was shaken last night as it emerged twelve of the biggest clubs in the world, including Manchester United, were planning to create the European Super League. At this point of time, it is believed that there will be three more founding members in the future and it will be a 20 team format, with the rest of the five teams being picked based on their performances in their respective leagues the previous season.

There is a lot of confusion regarding things at the moment though. Understandably, neither UEFA nor FIFA appear to be delighted with the idea and some rumours suggest that players competing in the European Super League could even be banned from their national teams.

What will happen regarding this remains to be seen but it is hard to see how the idea can be good for football as a whole. There already exists a gulf between the top teams and the rest. In recent years though, we had seen that close down a bit, at least in the Premier League, which helped clubs like Leicester City, West Ham United and Everton to compete for top four spots.

The European Super League will open up this divide even further though and perhaps make it wider than it has ever been.

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Why it is a bad idea for Manchester United

Think about it for a second, what makes the big games like Real Madrid vs Manchester United, Chelsea vs Atletico Madrid, FC Barcelona vs Liverpool, truly big?

It is the fact that they only happen once in several years. The occasion is special. But in the European Super League, such matches could be played twice or more every season. So how long will these games remain special? Can there be ten ‘big’ games every week? Is that even interesting any more after a while?

Also, there are fears that these twelve teams could be banned from their respective leagues. But even if they are not, how serious will the competition be anymore? The top four race is perhaps the most exciting part of the Premier League. But when there is a guaranteed spot in the European Super League waiting for certain teams, would there be a big difference between finishing 2nd and 5th?

Also, for teams like Manchester United, what about the history that they have built over the years? 20 English league titles, 3 Champions League titles and numerous cup competitions – what happens to all of that?

There are a lot of questions that need answers.