The Premier League clubs originally involved in plans to form a breakaway European Super League received confirmation of their punishment on Wednesday, with all six being handed a combined fine of around £20m having reached a settlement with the governing body.
Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur joined six other European sides in attempting to withdraw from UEFA competition and create their own alternative tournament in April 2021, but their plans were quickly quashed by mass fan protests.
And with nine of the 12, including all six Premier League sides, apologising and backing down from the plans, the ESL remains dead in the water. But the clubs involved still face punishments for their actions from their domestic governing bodies, and the English sides have now learnt their fate.
Sky News report that the half-dozen English clubs have reached a settlement with the Premier League, where they have accepted a combined fine of £20m to draw a line under the issue and move forward.
They have also agreed to accept a £20m fine each if they attempt to pull off a similar coup in the future, as well as suffering a 30-point deduction in the Premier League for their misbehaviour.
These penalties enforced by the Premier League will be in the form of a straight cash sum, in contrast to UEFA's punishment which will be deducted from the clubs' broadcast income from next season.
These punishments have almost certainly put an end to any hopes of a future ESL, with each club likely to suffer a season-changing penalty of 30 points if they were to participate.
That leaves the three remaining rebel clubs, Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona, in a difficult position, as they continue to maintain that the ESL can be a functioning and beneficial model for future football.
Source : 90min