Real Madrid still working on Super League idea as La Liga giants' CEO compares UEFA to 'the musicians on the Titanic'

Spearheaded by Madrid president Florentino Perez and supported by advisor Anas Laghrari, the club envisions a high-calibre league offering "top-quality football throughout the year". Real CEO Jose Angel Sanchez has emphasised the pressing need for change, reaffirming the club’s dedication to the Super League idea despite widespread opposition and the protests that led to the collapse of the original plan in 2021.

Ten of the 12 clubs that initially backed the controversial project have since withdrawn, issued apologies, and returned to UEFA's fold. However, Real Madrid and Barcelona remain steadfast in their pursuit of the Super League and have insisted that they will “keep working on the execution of the idea”, believing it to be the key to addressing European football's structural challenges.

Sanchez, in a Harvard Business School case study, compared UEFA under current president Aleksander Ceferin to the doomed musicians on the Titanic, playing as the ship sank, to illustrate his belief that the current system is failing.

The Real chief executive argued that fundamental changes are essential for football’s future, stating: “If we want to preserve football’s leadership position in the sport and entertainment industry, we have to change the system. 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.”

A significant concern for Real Madrid is the economic disparity created by the Premier League's immense financial power. Sanchez highlighted the league's soaring media rights revenue that is "making it difficult for us in Spain and for other continental European clubs to compete” in the transfer market. "This gap will only continue to grow,” Sanchez warned, citing the Premier League’s ability to outspend clubs across Europe.

Real Madrid’s leadership believe a Super League controlled by the clubs would better address the financial and competitive inequalities plaguing the sport. However, such proposals will likely face continued resistance from fans and governing bodies, who view the idea as a threat to football’s traditions and competitive integrity. With Sanchez and Perez advocating for sweeping changes, the question remains whether the Super League concept can overcome its past failures and gain traction among Europe’s top clubs.