On Sunday, the European game was rocked by revelations that a number of leading clubs -- 12 were named in the press release -- agreed to establish The Super League, a midweek tournament that will effectively be a direct competitor for the UEFA Champions League. Among them are Manchester United, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Juventus and Barcelona, with the league chaired by Real owner Florentino Perez. (Juve chairman Andrea Agnelli and Man United owner Joel Glazer will serve as vice-chairmen for this new competition.)
It's not the first time such rumours have emerged, but the timing is what makes this situation different.