translated from Spanish: Infantino: “You have to be careful when talking about sanctions for the Super League”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino was cautious about imposing sanctions on clubs that have supported the European Super League project because we need to “think about the possible consequences,” and while he again rejected this “separatist” idea, he leaves his agency’s door “open” to try new projects “with respect for institutions” and taking into account “the values” that make football the sport with the most followers in the world.” Some actions must have consequences and everyone must assume their responsibilities, but you always have to be careful when talking about sanctions. What sanctions are we talking about? It is quickly said that it is necessary to punish, it is even popular or populist, but you also have to think about the consequences of possible sanctions because punishing a club also makes players, coaches, fans, who have nothing to do with it,” Infantino said in an email interview with ‘L’Equipe’. The leader stated that “it is up to the national authorities first, then UEFA and finally FIFA to take appropriate action,” but bet on “promoting dialogue on the conflict, even in the most sensitive situations.” “We must avoid talking about ‘war’ when we talk about football and when the world suffers an unprecedented pandemic,” he added. Thus, he reiterated his body’s strong rejection of the Super League because it “is based on a break with international institutions”, although without hiding that new ideas can be “debated” and that the FIFA door is “always open.” “But this must be done with respect for the institutions and without losing sight of the values that have made our sport one today the most popular in the world,” he said. I don’t think we should have ever come to this, to the situation we experienced a few days ago, on the verge of a split with unpredictable and negative consequences for football,” Infantino lamented, whose “duty and responsibility to do everything possible to protect the world of football and its unity” and which is clear that it does not have to “save big clubs or big leagues” but “defend all football around the world.” For the FIFA president, “there are situations where you have to be uncompromising.” “The creation of a closed, ‘separatist’ league, outside the structures of international football, is not only unacceptable, but simply unimaginable,” he stressed. However, he also seemed to send a message to UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin. “A leader must also wonder why we have come to this,” he said. “And from there, how we can build the future together and for that we must listen to everyone, but above all the fans, which is the true heart of football,” he confessed. On the financial crisis suffered by the teams and aggravated by the pandemic referred to, among others, the president of Real Madrid, Florentino Pérez, recalled that “everyone suffers a lot these days, and football is no exception” and that in his body they have already taken “a series of measures to try to help the world football community”.

Original source in Spanish