European Super League: Manchester City withdraw and Chelsea prepare to follow
Manchester City don withdraw from di European Super League (ESL) and Chelsea dey also prepare to do so.
Chelsea get intentions to leave di European Super League as fans protest their involvement outside Stamford Bridge Efforts to leave come just two days after both of dem announce as two of six English clubs wey sign up to di controversial new competition. Di ESL don come under serious criticism since dem announce am on Sunday. Around 1,000 fans gather outside Chelsea Stamford Bridge home ground before their game against Brighton on Tuesday to protest their involvement. Chelsea and City bin dey part of English football 'big six' clubs - alongside Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham - wey agree to join di new league. In total, 12 European clubs announce their intentions to form di breakaway league, which dem hope to establish as new midweek competition. Football authorities and government ministers for UK and across Europe togeda wit Uefa and leagues associations condemn dia decision. Chelsea na di first club to indicate say dem no go press ahead as dem prepare documentation to withdraw. City come later withdraw soon after. Chelsea and City bin no be di drivers of di plan, dem bin be di last to sign and fear bin dey say dem go leave dem behind. E no dey clear how easy e be or how binding di contracts be. Na Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and di club board make di decision to try and make Chelsea leave after dem witness negative global reaction to di Super League. Fear bin dey say e fit cause damage to di club reputation and e go undermine some of e campaign and community work. Questions wey dem raise internally as to whether fans go respond to di club if dem continue with di proposal wey don go down badly. Dem make di decision earlier on Tuesday before protests bin start outside Stamford Bridge. Earlier in di day, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson meet wit di Football Association, Premier League officials and fans' representatives, after which di government tok say dem go will take "whatever action wey dey necessary", including legislative options, to ensure dem stop di proposals. Johnson stance dey supported by Labour and di Liberal Democrats. For statement wey dem release after meeting between di Premier League and di 14 clubs wey no involve, dem say dem "unanimously and vigorously" reject plans for di competition. Dem add say dem dey consider "all actions available" to stop di competition and ask di six teams to end their involvement immediately. While English involvement don quickly dey reconsidered, no indication don dey from di other six clubs from Spain and Italy - wey include Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, Juventus and AC Milan - weda dem dey consider to do di same. Real president Florentino Perez, wey dem name as di ESL chairman, say di competition bin dey set up "to save football" because young pipo "no longer dey interested" for di game because of "a lot of poor quality games". AC Milan chief executive Ivan Gazidis say di ESL go be "new, exciting chapter for di game" and say dem go "provide value and support" across European football. Meanwhile, Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo come out to support di ESL and di club owner Andrea Agnelli, wey quit as European Club Association (ECA) chairman after im sign up di Turin club up to di new competition. "Im explain say dis project to us, e give us great confidence, but di most important tin im tell us na say we gats to continue with our work," Pirlo tok.