Chelsea

Asked if he sees a European Super League happening, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel added: "If I had a clear opinion right now, I wouldn't mention it. But it's too early to judge it and there are way too many opinions out there. I trust this club and my job is very clear. I am maybe not the right person to ask this. I understand why there are many emotional reactions out there but I don't know enough about it.

"The players were not involved in the decision making. Maybe it's a good thing to step back and not give our opinions about this. It's between the clubs and it's important to fight for the goals we still have this season."

Chelsea

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is asked about the reaction among his players to the European Super League news.

"There are a lot of comments, arguments and opinions out there and I don't want to get involved in it because I don't know the details," he said. "I've known the general details since yesterday (Sunday). I trust my role.

"I've not seen the players today, we train later. We wanted to give the players more recovery time after the game against Manchester City. The best thing is to stay calm and focus on our match, which is maybe a little different than before."

On whether the club will speak to the players about the ESL proposal, Tuchel added: "Maybe, yes, to help the situation so we aren't impacted in our preparations. The players and me trust the club, we are employees. It's best we don't get involved in sports politics and this situation. It's above our heads.

"It's a big subject, everyone is talking. It's maybe impossible for the players not to be influenced by it but it's too early and there are a lot of opinions out there. Hopefully we can stay calm, have the influence to the players so they don't get distracted, and hopefully we can bring the performance to tomorrow's game."

Chelsea

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is now speaking with the media before his side's Premier League game with Brighton and, first up, he's asked if he knew anything about the club's plans to form a European Super League?

"I've know since yesterday (Sunday) but I am here to be in the hardest competition, it's why I came here, to play the toughest competitions in Europe," he said.

"As you know, I don't get around the subjects around us. I was hoping to talk about Manchester City and Brighton but it's not the case.

"I am part of this club and I trust this club to make the right decisions. I think it's too early to judge everything and it's not my part. On my badge it says that everyone has to play their role. My role is to coach, be focused, and we've got another game tomorrow."

Image source, Getty Images

UK prime minister Boris Johnson says the government will "look at everything we can do" to ensure the European Super League will not go ahead, as it is currently being proposed.

Looks like Warrington Town have themselves at least one new fan today...

The scene outside Anfield this afternoon...

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Ander Herrera appears to be taking a swipe at the European elite, including his own club.

The former Manchester United player says he "cannot remain silent" over plans for a European Super League...

More now from Derby manager Wayne Rooney, who played under Jose Mourinho at Manchester United...

Speaking about Tottenham sacking Mourinho, Rooney said: "It's crazy doing it before a [Carabao] Cup final. Strange timing.

"They could have waited. He is a fantastic manager and one of the best the game has seen.

"I am sure he will bounce back and a lot of top clubs will be interested in bringing him in.

"Some players will get comfort, others will be upset by the decision. A lot of times you get a good reaction."

Image source, Getty Images

James: It won’t be long before there are protests outside the stadiums at home games

Theo: Football is for the fans, not for the few!

Preston face Wayne Rooney's Derby County on Tuesday, and the former England and Manchester United striker has had his say on the proposal for the European Super League (ESL)...

"I couldn’t tell you who the top six [English] clubs are, that is the first point," Rooney told reporters at his club's pre-match news conference.

"It is strange timing but I am sure there are reasons for that. The people in charge of these clubs are not stupid. Wait to see what the plans are. I want the English pyramid to be protected and rewarded.

"I am curious about the information rather than jumping the gun. The Premier League will always be a priority. Only when the information comes out will I give my true feelings on it."

On the threat of ESL players being ineligible to play for their country, Rooney said: "I wouldn’t give up playing for my country. There will be a lot of comment and anger about what has come out but it might be wasted words until we see where it goes."

Image source, Getty Images

Championship side Preston North End have "noted with disappointment the suggestion that a European Super League be formed as a means of concentrating yet more wealth into the hands of the few."

A statement on the club website, external for Preston, champions in the first two seasons of the English league, continues: "Those English clubs who feel that such an attempt at a wealth power grab, thereby undermining and potentially destroying the English football pyramid, should look themselves in the mirror.

"If one takes the status of these so called big six over a longer time frame than just the formation of the Premier League it would take a wise person to guess at who these so called top six are. Over a sustained historic period, the suggestion that these clubs have been at the forefront of domestic trophy winning or domination doesn’t stand the test of scrutiny.

"Having just experienced the devastating financial impact of Covid on football finances, English football urgently needs a fairer distribution of monies throughout the leagues, not a money power grab by the self-appointed few. There is already a huge disparity between the finances available to the top 20 clubs rather than the rest of the football pyramid and many are in dire financial straits. This breakaway could destroy nearly 150 years of football history for short-term riches for the few."

It adds: "We are looking to Government, Fifa, Uefa, the FA, the Premier League and the EFL to ensure that this proposal is stopped in its tracks and the future of the English game as a whole is secured."

Image source, PA Media

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Image source, Reuters

You’d be hard pressed to find any positive reaction in Italy today to the European Super League news, which dominates the front pages of the daily newspapers.

“It eliminates the idea that merit is a prerequisite to participation,” sums up La Repubblica,, external which also highlights the key role of JP Morgan and “some of the world’s most powerful law firms” in creating the new Super League, saying “they won’t be put off by popular dissent”.

On the reaction by Uefa and Fifa and the threats to exclude all participating players from international tournaments, the article says that “it’s hard to say whether [Lionel] Messi potentially being barred from his last World Cup would be more of a loss for him or for the World Cup”.

“Juventus, Inter and Milan: the bonfire of greed,” says leading sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport, external in a scathing editorial. “This paper has always been opposed to any project that favours the interests of the few by betraying individual merits and undermining the national tournaments which make up the social and cultural roots of football.”

Il Fatto Quotidiano, external says that “the Super League is the antithesis of football: they want to kill the passion for the game in the name of profit… and to turn fans into mere consumers”. Like several other outlets, the paper says that the ESL project is an attempt to reshape European football into an NBA-like tournament “in which every match is an event, and the sport is the means rather than the end: a huge match every night, players who are paid tens of millions per season, extortionate tickets and audiences of billions of people. It’s the furthest thing from the European idea of football – and of sport.”

The article adds: “Football bosses are ready to sacrifice the spirit of the game, and fairy tales like Leicester’s or Atalanta’s, and the principle according to which David can beat Goliath at least once which, incidentally, is what makes football the greatest sport in the world.”

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Crystal Palace

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish said: "A lot of us have thought it [ESL proposal] was a long time coming, and at some point, people were going to show their hand.

"These kind of things have been in the making for a while, and the terrible situation with pandemic has brought it forward, particularly with the bigger clubs, because of the lack of fans and all of the premium seating.

"When the Premier League started, we wanted to negotiate our own deal and our own rights, while still being connected to the football pyramid.

"On a Sunday afternoon [when the news broke], if you can imagine uniting every football fan and a whole group of people, it feels like a busted flush."

Portugal legend Luis Figo has waded into the debate, and it's fair to say he's not a fan of the new proposal...

Time to hear from fans of three of the clubs involved in the European Super League proposal.

We also hear from a Wolves fan, who seems pleased at the potential new format...

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Some press reaction from France now, where Eurosport says, external “the dare of Real Madrid, Juventus and others: the nightmare has come true”, in a furious comment piece that accuses the 12 teams of “waiting until night fell to unveil their dark scheme – as if they had been too ashamed to do so in the light of day.

"But to be completely honest, we’d be surprised if they had any shame, or if they showed any respect for national tournaments. Those dated competitions, after all, don’t make enough money to allow them to continue to live beyond their means.”

The article concludes darkly: “We don’t yet know if the 12 teams in question will go through with their plan. But whatever happens, something’s been broken. We won’t ever look at them in the same way.”

An editorial in sports daily L’Equipe says, external the Super League members are “traitors”. “If they continue with their project, we will never forgive them," it reads. "We won’t forgive them if they give it up, either. The 12 clubs will remain traitors of a shared ideal for a long time still. They’ve showed they’re ready to kill off European football, its essence, its history and its beauty with their cynicism and greed.”

“The day European football faltered”, reads France’s So Foot,, external which sees the potential departure of 12 teams as a chance “to finally breathe”.

“If this NBA-like tournament is to become reality, it will increase suspense… teams like Ajax, Porto, Roma or Napoli will experience the thrill of reaching the final stages of the Champions League and will actually have a chance to win it. This would also mean that some legendary European teams could experience a second wind – can we dream of seeing Glasgow Rangers, Dynamo Kyiv or Panathinaikos lift a European Cup in the next few years? Can we picture Leicester or West Ham as the next Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest of the 2020s or 2030s? Yes, we can. And that’s exciting.”

Image source, Getty Images

Dean: Dear Footballers, please stand united next to your fans and help us save our dreams for the future. This is so much more than money.

Adam: It’s telling that German clubs, all majority owned by fans, are against the ESL. Fan ownership is the way to guarantee the sport’s future and traditions.

Former Real Madrid, Arsenal and Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil is clearly not a fan of the European Super League...

Spurs had enjoyed a promising start to the current season, including a 6-1 win against Mourinho's former club Manchester United at Old Trafford.

A 2-0 home win over north London rivals Arsenal in early December saw them go top of the Premier League, as Mourinho - a three-time Premier League and two-time Champions League winner - became only the second Spurs manager in history to win his first two north London derbies.

They weren't top for long, dropping back to second later that month with defeat by Liverpool. Since then, Spurs have won seven of 19 league games, losing eight of them.

Read more here.