Against the long-standing group stage in the UEFA Champions League format, Real Madrid has once again stirred up controversy, asking UEFA to reconsider the format.
The move comes after players publicly voiced their opinion on the long fixture list regarding the combination of European and local fixtures.
While the fans with Real Madrid tickets have tended to the other side, in favour of more fixtures, the club clearly shows dissent against the current structure.
Super League 2.0?
Real Madrid has spelled out their commitment to a restructuring of the Champions League in which the clubs, not Uefa, are in control—essentially a European Super League 2.0.
The Madrid chief executive, José Ángel Sánchez, who rarely speaks in public, has taken part in a Harvard Business School (HBS) case study – seen by the Guardian – in which he explains why he feels change is essential. In it, he likens Uefa to the musicians on the Titanic, playing on despite impending doom.
The study was prepared by HBS professor Anita Elberse, the class of 2024 graduate Juan Pasquín and the research associate Iñigo Pasquin. It delves deeply into Madrid’s business plan, looking at why the club have moved away from the transfer policy of the galácticos era, prioritising the signing of younger players who can be developed into superstars.
Managing costs in a market where they are no longer the dominant financial force is better. The €1bn Bernabéu stadium renovation project, which began in 2019, is being spotlighted and how it stands to drive increased revenues.
What stands out is Madrid’s desire for the new-look European league, which, according to Anas Laghrari, an adviser to the club’s president, Florentino Pérez, would feature “the highest-quality football all year round”.
Madrid has doubled down on its position in the HBS study, also offering an insight into its mindset. At one point, Sánchez compares the 15-time European champions to Asterix’s fictitious village, holding out against the Roman invaders.
“If we want to preserve football’s leadership position in the sport and entertainment industry, we have to change the system,” Sánchez said. “The current governing bodies are like the musicians on the Titanic, who kept playing even when the ship went under. The system as we know it is over – we need to organise things differently in the industry. That was the rationale behind the Super League, and it is even more pressing now.”
Sánchez, Pérez’s right-hand man, said Madrid would “keep working on the execution of the idea”. It is unclear what that involves or whether they have the support of other leading clubs. Ten of the original 12 Super League rebels from 2021 have made apologies, paid fines and re-embraced the status quo, with only Madrid and Barcelona clinging to the idea that the concept could be revived.
Sánchez talked about what most concerned him and Madrid, starting with the economic strength of the Premier League, where the “media rights income is so high that it is making it difficult for us in Spain and for other continental European clubs to compete” – chiefly in the transfer market. He said the gap was “likely only to increase”.
There was also the “growing sense of unfair competition” resulting from sovereign wealth funds owning clubs, and governing bodies “failing to act to halt those clubs’ increased dominance”. Sánchez said: “They [the governing bodies] are not able or not willing to guarantee an honest competition between clubs.” In his crosshairs were Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, controlled respectively by powerful people in Abu Dhabi and Qatar.
Madrid was the highest-grossing European club in 2022-23 in Deloitte’s money league, with a turnover of €831m. Thanks to their Champions League success last season, they have become the first to exceed €1bn in annual revenue.
For Madrid, Uefa is the enemy, a cartel overlord. Why should the governing body have such influence over media rights? According to Sánchez, the clubs should take control of them.
It would remove certain shackles, reward enterprise and create fairer dynamics.
While Real Madrid will have the dominating voice in the league’s structure and where it is headed, the move to restructure the UEFA Champions League will need more voices.
More clubs will need to stress the fixture. If the voices aren’t heard, Real Madrid could consider a new Super League format.
This format could work for the club but not for the fans with Real Madrid tickets.
Real Madrid Looking to Disperse Players
What was supposed to be a season confirming the club’s dominance over European football quickly turned into a disaster. While results have stabilised recently, a slow start to the campaign may cost Los Blancos in the long run.
As a result, speculation has linked several star players with a winter exit, and while coach Carlo Ancelotti has insisted that he will keep his squad together, there may still be some departures.
Jesus Vallejo (Centre-back)
Jesus Vallejo returned from a loan stint at Granada in the summer. He was kept around as a squad player following the departures of captain Nacho Fernandez and promising centre-back Rafa Marin.
However, Vallejo has fallen completely out of favour, and despite Real Madrid’s defensive injury crisis, he barely gets on the pitch. The centre-back has slipped below youngster Raul Asencio in the pecking order and has no future at the Bernabeu.
A January exit, likely to a LaLiga rival.
Dani Ceballos (Central midfielder)
Dani Ceballos was a fan favourite during his loan stint at Arsenal, so he returned to Real Madrid with ambitious goals. In hindsight, however, it was a mistake to stay at the club.
Even though the fans with Real Madrid tickets also loved him, Ceballos seems to have no future.
The midfielder even extended his contract in the summer of 2023 despite not playing. His fortunes haven’t massively improved despite getting some rare minutes recently, in which he performed quite well.
Ceballos will have suitors in January, and unless he is content with primarily sitting on the bench, he should seek to leave.
Brahim Diaz (Winger)
Brahim Diaz struggled to nail down a starting spot even before Mbappe’s arrival, and things have only become more difficult for him since. The former AC Milan loanee barely sees minutes despite being so eminently talented.
When he does get the chance to shine – primarily on international duty with Morocco – Diaz regularly proves what a brilliant player he is. Still, it seems he will never manage to establish himself at Real Madrid.
He is known to have admirers in LaLiga, Serie A, and beyond and could look to leave in January.
Arda Guler (Attacking midfielder)
Arda Guler is always in the headlines for the same reason. The Turkish wonderkid doesn’t get regular minutes under Ancelotti and is perennially linked with a loan move away.
Despite this, Ancelotti has been insistent that Guler is going nowhere and thoroughly enjoys his trust, citing his youth as the only reason he doesn’t play more often.
However, when he has played, Guler has repeatedly shown that he can compete with the best of them, so he won’t be happy about this current situation and may request a temporary January exit.
Real Madrid tickets for the 2025 games will be available shortly.
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