Bayern president slams Real and Barca over Super League
FT Desk
- 12 Sep 2022 10:45 CDT
- 3 min read
Bayern Munich never signed up to the European Super League - an idea most vehemently put forward by Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus.
Bayern take on one of European football's rogue three, Barcelona, in the Champions League on Tuesday, with most of the pre-match headlines focusing on Robert Lewandowski's reunion with his former employers.
The Pole has scored nine goals in six games in all competitions, including a hat-trick against Viktoria Plzen on their Group C opener, since his €50 million transfer, and is understandably garnering attention.
Lewandowski has proven €50m well spent for Barcelona 🔵 🔴https://t.co/wzBLli1NI7
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) September 11, 2022
But Bayern president Herbert Hainer was also pressed on last April's failed European Super League idea when speaking to Spanish outlet Sport ahead of the game.
"In everything you do, you have to put the interests of the fans at the centre of it, and the reaction of the fans said it all," Hainer explained.
"I have to say that I like the UEFA Champions League because it's a fantastic competition in which the best clubs compete."
Widely rejected
Barcelona fans hung a banner over Camp Nou which read "Barcelona is our life, not your toy. No to playing in the Super League," when the idea was put forward, even if it would have given the club a financial lifeline.
The idea of a closed shop was anathema to them, and Hainer thinks it was unnecessary from a sporting point of view.
"If we look at the quarter-finals or in the round of 16, the most prestigious clubs play amongst themselves anyway," he said. "Real Madrid are always there, Barcelona, Bayern, City, Liverpool, etc."
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The winner of this season's Champions League could make up to €85.14m in prize money alone, with the final paying out €20m for the victorious club.
Six-time European champions Bayern last lifted the trophy in 2020, with five-time winners Barca's last success coming in 2015.
