European Super League: 'Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund could become second-rate clubs'

Awful. That's how you can sum up the reaction here towards the European Super League. The title of the main column of L'Equipe on Monday morning was "Traitors". In France, no one has said they are in favour. It's either criticism or sadness.

For the moment, PSG is a secondary issue. The real questions are whether this competition will really exist? Will there be bans from domestic leagues? What about international bans for players competing in ESL?

PSG's and Bayern's decision to not be one of the founding members is wise and coherent. Even President Macron has backed PSG's stance. But it's also a matter of time. Some French media (L'Equipe and RMC) are claiming that the Super League structure wants to have French teams, at least two of which could be PSG and Marseille.

We are devastated, but not shocked, about the developments around the Super League. It is just a greedy and hypocritical operation, especially in the middle of a pandemic, when football in general has been granted a special role in comparison to other economic sectors.

But on the other side, I think it was inevitable. It's just too lucrative for these big clubs, especially when they are able to market the TV rights and the competition all over the world by themselves.

It's honourable that Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich have positioned themselves against the Super League (for now). BVB CEO Hans Joachim Watzke said on Monday morning that Dortmund still stands behind the decision of the UEFA board and support the revolution of the Champions League. He said he was also speaking for Bayern Munich, even though there has been no official statement from the club or Karl-Heinz Rummenigge yet. But coach Hansi Flick said in a press conference on Monday that he likes the position of Dortmund AND Bayern. A Super League "is not good for European football".

But in my opinion that's not the end. If Bayern and Dortmund stay strong, they won't be part of the European football elite anymore and become second-rate clubs with less money and less reputation and a less attractive sporting competition. Especially for Bayern, that's hard to imagine...

Dazed. That's the word that sums up the situation in Italy a few hours after the earthquake last night.

Amid the confusion, Repubblica reports that Atalanta, Hellas Verona and Cagliari have asked the Serie A to ban the three clubs - Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan - from the Italian league. Meanwhile, the country has responded badly, worrying about the fate of a national championship that is only just showing signs of recovery after so many difficulties.

The Super League has been a bombshell in Spain, like the rest of Europe, but the Spanish media doesn't really have a position because of the power and influence Barcelona and Real hold over pretty much every media outlet. But it is a very interesting option for Real, Barca and Atletico, especially because of their financial struggles due to Covid.

That said, the Super League has been recognised as a greedy competition, good for big teams but harmful for small or medium-sized teams. We think it will have a big impact on local competitions.

The new Super League is all anyone is talking about and the response to it is universally visceral. This idea is hated by everybody except the men responsible for bringing it into the world.

As an insight into the overwhelmingly negative response to this, while Manchester City and Manchester United have published the statement on their websites, they haven't tweeted it out - presumably because they know the furious response it will receive.

I suppose the UK is at the epicentre here with as many as six clubs all signed up already, and let's be clear, restructuring football competitions in pursuit of unfettered greed is hardly a new phenomenon. But this feels different.

Perhaps the best response was from Gary Neville on Sky Sports as he described this as a "criminal act" and called on the Premier League to relegate Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool. This is being universally condemned today: by fans, pundits, reporters, supporter groups and football institutions.