A new European Super League wouldn't need Leicester City, says the man who has been holding talks with some of the biggest clubs in the Premier League.
Relevent Sports chairman Charlie Stillitano has met with representatives from Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City to discuss the possibility of restructuring the
Champions League so Europe's elite clubs are guaranteed entry.
Currently, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United are not in the top four slots in the Premier League for Champions League qualification, but Leicester City are three points clear at the top of the table and closing in on Champions League qualification for the first time in the club's history.
City's rise may be a fairy-tale story to football fans around the world, but not, it seems, to Stillitano, whose company runs the International Champions Cup.
When asked if a Super League was being discussed, Stillitano is quoted as telling Sirius XM: "I think it is. They're talking about it all over Europe. At least a change in format.
"When they came up with the Champions League, the idea wasn't to have PSV (Eindhoven) and Genk playing in the knockout stage.
"There are several different groups among Europe's top clubs that want a fairer share from the Champions League.
"When you see the teams we have in the ICC, you're going to want to go see us...
"What would Manchester United argue: did we create soccer or did Leicester create [it]?
"Let's call it the money pot created by soccer and the fandom around the world. Who has had more of an integral role, Manchester United or Leicester?
"It's a wonderful, wonderful story – but you could see it from Manchester United's point of view, too. [Leicester's season] is absolutely spectacular unless you are a Manchester United fan, Liverpool fan … or a Chelsea fan.
"I guess they don't have a birthright to be in it every year but it's the age-old argument: US sports franchises versus what they have in Europe.
"There are wonderful, wonderful, wonderful elements to relegation and promotion and there are good arguments for a closed system."
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