Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu led Super League talks for several years during his time with the club, Goal can reveal, with the Blaugrana joining Juventus, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Arsenal as leading teams in a five-year push to form the new competition.
The original discussions of a potential Super League began to take shape during the 2015-16 season, with those discussions eventually leading the way to Sunday's announcement that 12 clubs had signed on to form a new breakaway tournament.
However, those plans have come crashing down as teams have withdrawn amid widespread criticism from fans and players alike.