European Super League: 12 top clubs announce breakout competition; UEFA opposes 'cynical project'

Juventus, Barcelona, Manchester United and others announced plans for a separate league

UEFA has slammed a new breakaway Super League that was announced Sunday with the participation of big-name English, Spanish and Italian teams. European soccer's governing body issued a statement on the matter calling out the proposal and reiterating that the English (FA), Spanish (RFEF) and Italian (FIGC) associations are against the "cynical project" and thanked "French and German clubs" for their "refusal" to join the breakaway league. "If this were to happen, we wish to reiterate that we – UEFA, the English FA, RFEF, FIGC, the Premier League, LaLiga, Lega Serie A, but also FIFA and all our member associations – will remain united in our efforts to stop this cynical project, a project that is founded on the self-interest of a few clubs at a time when society needs solidarity more than ever, UEFA said in a statement.  Twelve top European soccer clubs agreed to create "The Super League," a European club competition that would be separate to UEFA's Champions and Europa Leagues. Here are the 12 teams, which include all of the Premier League's "Big Six" as well as three teams from Spain and three from Italy. "We will consider all measures available to us, at all levels, both judicial and sporting in order to prevent this happening. Football is based on open competitions and sporting merit; it cannot be any other way. "As previously announced by FIFA and the six Federations, the clubs concerned will be banned from playing in any other competition at domestic, European or world level, and their players could be denied the opportunity to represent their national teams.