Football: 'Embarrassment' - Gary Neville unhappy with Premier League, 'Big Six' settlement over Super League

The Premier League on Wednesday agreed to a settlement with the ‘Big Six’ of the English top-flight on their involvement in the controversial European Super League. Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have agreed to pay a combined £22million for their involvement in the breakaway league. 

Former England international Gary Neville has now branded the settlement between Premier League and the six clubs as an “embarrassment”. Notably, the six Premier League clubs had announced themselves as founding members of the ESL but quickly withdrew amid fan protests and opposition from the Premier League, UEFA, FIFA and British Government.

Neville took to social media platform Twitter to announce his disappointment at the sanctions as he wrote: “An absolute embarrassment!”

The Premier League conducted a probe into the foundation of ESL with its chief executive Richard Masters saying that the investigation would be conducted “efficiently, justly and appropriately”.

ALSO READ: Football: Lazio hint at Sarri appointment with cigarette emoji

The fine paid by the six Premier League clubs will go to the development of children’s football and the grassroots game. Additionally, the clubs had earlier agreed to forego five per cent of any UEFA competition revenue for one season. 

However, the nine clubs, who withdrew from ESL, face fines of £87 million each from UEFA in case of any future breakaway attempt. 
Meanwhile, three clubs who are still part of ESL are Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus, and a disciplinary proceeding have been opened against them by UEFA.

ALSO READ: Football- '25 and a half cups': Jose Mourinho takes a dig at his former club

Malcolm Clarke, the chair of the Football Supporters’ Association, said: “Whatever punishment the Premier League’s in-house process decides upon, it cannot guarantee that clubs won’t try similar again in the decades ahead.