
Ceferin Visits Bernabéu to Mark Reconciliation Between UEFA and Real Madrid
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has accepted an official invitation from Real Madrid President Florentino Pérez to attend the UEFA Champions League quarter-final match against Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabéu. This move signals a turning point, closing the chapter on past disputes and marking a return to a path of détente between the two parties.
The visit follows a formal agreement to definitively abandon the "Super League" project. This understanding materialized during the recent UEFA Congress in Brussels, where the involved parties pledged to cooperate in developing a new competition model that serves the aspirations of European football in the upcoming phase.
The concluded agreement is based on the participating clubs' commitment to recognize UEFA as the sole governing body responsible for organizing the sport on the continent. This ensures the continuity of the current organizational structure, moving away from separatist projects.
This consensus includes provisions granting clubs 50% ownership of the joint company responsible for marketing commercial and television broadcasting rights for continental competitions. This step aims to enhance clubs' financial revenues and ensure a more balanced partnership with the continental federation.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi, President of Paris Saint-Germain and Chairman of the European Club Association (ECA), played a significant role in facilitating this agreement through his mediation between the continental federation and Real Madrid's management, leading to this strategic rapprochement.
Ceferin is expected to depart the Spanish capital to attend the match between Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool the day after his Bernabéu visit. This trip is part of a tour reflecting positive transformations in the European football landscape following a period of tension and legal pursuits.