Nasser Al-Khelaifi of PSG Dismisses Real Madrid and Barcelona, Downplays Superleague Threat

In the world of European football, the exchange of verbal jabs and salvos between the heavyweights of the game is a never-ending spectacle. During the recent international break, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the CEO of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), seized the moment to take another dig at the seemingly defunct Superleague project, a subject that has remained a contentious issue.

At present, Real Madrid and Barcelona stand as the sole remaining proponents of the Superleague, as Juventus parted ways with the project earlier this year. A23, the organization behind the league, alongside Barcelona and Real Madrid, still maintain their commitment to seeing the project through.

Addressing the matter at an event hosted by the European Clubs Association, Al-Khelaifi couldn’t resist adding a touch of humor to his assessment. He referred to the Superleague as the ‘No Super League,’ emphasizing the lack of enthusiasm among clubs and fans for its realization.

“I call it the ‘No Super League,'” Al-Khelaifi quipped, highlighting the dwindling support for the concept. “Nobody wants to do it. We don’t care what they do. They are on the outside. Before there were three teams, now there are two…”

Al-Khelaifi also waved off concerns about the Saudi Pro League potentially posing a threat to European football, despite the significant investments made in the league over the summer.

“I don’t think there is any danger. We focus on Europe and our clubs. We have the best and most important competitions, the best players. It is not for me to judge what happens outside Europe. We focus on ourselves.”

It’s worth noting that Al-Khelaifi has strong ties to Qatar, his home country, and Qatar, as the host of the 2022 World Cup, has a well-documented political and regional rivalry with Saudi Arabia.

The Superleague project, which generated a significant buzz in the world of football last year, seemed to have lost momentum, with little public commentary from its key proponents, including Florentino Perez and Joan Laporta, the respective presidents of Real Madrid and Barcelona. Their initial speeches during the general assemblies of their clubs portrayed the Superleague as the answer to several football-related challenges, but recent developments suggest a different story.