Scudamore dismisses European Super League

Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore has become the latest to voice his opposition against the idea of a “European Super League” to replace the Champions League.

The idea has been much discussed since it was raised once again by American billionaire Stephen Ross, whose company Relevant Sports runs the pre-season International Champions Cup was reportedly meeting with clubs to hold discussions about a new European competition.

A European Super League would see the world’s most popular teams battle it out for a continental crown without the need to qualify through domestic competition.

But Scudamore stressed there would be no support for such a competition and said the top four clubs from the Premier League would continue to compete in the Champions League.

“If you land in the first three places in you are in the Champions League and it is as simple as that,” he said.

“The idea you might average the qualification over a number of years just seems completely ridiculous.”

Scudamore also ruled out any chance of the Premier League employing play-offs at the end of the regular season.

“The reason we don’t have play-offs is we have a pure competition. The winners win and the people who finish bottom get relegated,” he said.

“Harsh though that is, it is pure and simple and everyone understands and that is part of our core values. The reason we don’t need play-offs is that we have a mini-competition within for second, third, fourth, fifth place.

“There are 10 [clubs] worrying about relegation and 10 trying to get European spots and therefore it doesn’t need any altering.”