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By Simon Evans
(Reuters) - FIFA President Gianni
Infantino told the 12 breakaway European Super League clubs on
Tuesday that they could not be "half in, half out" of the
established football system and must face up to the reality of
their decision.
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, Liverpool and
Juventus are among the members of the proposed new league, but
UEFA has threatened to ban them from domestic and international
competition and vowed to fight the move.
"If some elect to go their own way then they must live with the
consequences of their choice, they are responsible for their
choice - concretely this means, either you are in, or you are
out. You cannot be half in and half out. This has to be
absolutely clear," Infantino told UEFA's congress in Montreux,
Switzerland.
Infantino's comments came after the Super League had called on
Monday for talks with UEFA and FIFA about their new
competition's place in the football "ecosystem".
The FIFA head, a former UEFA general secretary, repeated his
opposition to the breakaway project.
"We can only and strongly disapprove of a Super League which is
a closed shop, breakaway from current institutions," Infantino
said. "No doubt whatsoever of FIFA's disapproval. Full support
to UEFA.
"We hope that everything will go back to normal, that everything
will be settled, but always with respect, always with solidarity
and with the interests of national, European and global
football."
(Reporting by Simon Evans, editing by Ed Osmond)
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