Real Madrid has raised the white flag, quite literally, in its war against UEFA. It is peace between Florentino Pérez and Alexander Ceferin, top leaders who have been at odds since the creation of the Super League, the major project of the Madrid executive in the last five years. A project whose idea now comes to an end in an attempt to adapt it to the current Champions League. Real Madrid, UEFA, and the European Football Clubs (EFC) have reached an agreement "for the good of European club football."
In a statement, the club announced that "after months of discussions held for the benefit of European football," the agreement between the three parties comes "respecting the principle of sporting merit and emphasizing the long-term sustainability of clubs and the improvement of fan experience through the use of technology."
"This agreement of principles," the statement says, "will also help resolve their legal disputes related to the European Super League, once a definitive agreement is implemented."
The recent withdrawal of FC Barcelona, on February 7, from the Super League project marked a turning point in the regression of a project that, since its presentation five years ago, had gradually lost the few supports it had among the main actors in European football.
The departure of the Catalan club, which adds to the previous resignation of Juventus in 2023 - the previous club to withdraw - left the plan reduced to a single promoter, Real Madrid, at a time when the rest of the continental ecosystem maintained a position of rejection towards this initiative.
Sources from the white club consulted by this newspaper acknowledge the end of hostilities, but also insist on recalling that "Madrid's pressure" on UEFA "caused" the change in the competition format, which a couple of seasons ago transitioned from a group stage to a league of 36 teams and has been distributing more prize money for months.
Real Madrid's goal still includes the possibility of the European tournament being broadcast openly to the world through a free platform, a detail that was included in the Super League project and that UEFA does not rule out.