MX23RW : Thursday, March 28 08:35:44| >> :120:49493:49493:

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi appointed new ECA chairman

The Qatari resisted repeated attempts to persuade him and his club to become founder members of the breakaway European Super League.

Paris St Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has been appointed as the new European Club Association chairman in place of Andrea Agnelli, one of the architects of the doomed Super League.

The Qatari resisted repeated attempts to persuade him and his club to become founder members of the breakaway league.

He now finds himself at the helm of the ECA, which traditionally has been viewed as lobbying on behalf of the continent’s richest clubs, but seems set to be more widely representative in the wake of the rifts caused by the Super League controversy.

Al-Khelaifi said: “I am honoured and humbled to have been appointed by my fellow ECA executive board members as chairman.

“The leadership, integrity and togetherness of our organisation has never been more required than at this pivotal moment in European football.

“I will provide my unconditional commitment to the entire football community: that means to all ECA member clubs from every European nation, and to the fans and communities they represent.

“I, alongside all my fellow ECA board members and clubs, am looking to reinforce ECA in its role as the legitimate and singular voice of Europe’s clubs.

“Our game, adored by generations of supporters, will only prosper under unity, and it is our duty as the custodians of football to fulfil this obligation.”

The reference to “unity” may give hope of a truce to the 12 breakaway clubs who resigned from the ECA at the weekend to pursue their new competition.

The statement confirming Al-Khelaifi’s appointment said: “Following the unprecedented events of recent days which has seen attempts to undermine the entire European football community, ECA – representing the leading football clubs of Europe – welcomes the decision from its former member clubs not to pursue their purported ‘Super League’ project, following the seismic and universal condemnation of the project by the entire football community and across society as a whole.

“ECA firmly believes this project could not succeed because football, at its core, is based on openness, sporting excellence and an inherent connection between everyone across the football family.

“Football is for everybody. Recent events have been a reminder that club owners are merely custodians of their clubs, which are historic beacons that mean so much to fans and their communities. ECA believes that it is the responsibility of every member club to ensure that we develop football and leave it in a better place for the next generation; not to dismantle it purely for financial gain.”

The input and pressure of some of the ECA’s former members helped win concessions from UEFA such as an increase in the number of matches in the group stage of the new-look Champions League from six to 10, and the provision of two qualification spots for teams based on past European pedigree.

It is understood that European Leagues, another group lobbying UEFA on behalf of 37 domestic leagues across 30 countries, is prepared to challenge the new format and seek a reduction in the number of matches and to scrap the coefficient qualification.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said: “I would like to congratulate the ECA for choosing Nasser as their new chairman.

“Football needs good people in senior roles and Nasser is someone who has shown he is capable of looking after the interests of more clubs than just his own – which should be a prerequisite for the position of ECA chair.

“I look forward to working with him to shape the future of club football at a European level. He is a man I can trust.”

ID:444216:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect6114:

Click here for more stories about Nasser Al-Khelaifi

Click here for more stories about Paris Saint-Germain

Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Paris Saint-GermainPSG26178162233959
2Brest26138536201647
3MonacoMonaco26137647361146
4Lille261110537231443
5Nice2612772720743
6Lens2612683527842
7Marseille26109740281239
8Rennes2610974031939
9Reims26115103435-138
10Lyon26104123040-1034
11Toulouse2678112936-729
12StrasbourgStrasbourg2678112839-1129
13Le HavreLe Havre2669112633-727
14Montpellier HSCMontpellier2669113140-926
15Lorient2668123549-1426
16NantesNantes2674152441-1725
17Metz2665152339-1623
18Clermont2648141943-2420


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!