In a move which risks exploding international football governance, the Spanish judge who had barred FIFA and UEFA from challenging the creation of the Super League, has referred the case to the European Court of Justice. Manuel Ruiz de Lara, head of the Mercantile Court 17 of Madrid, is seeking a ruling on whether the world and European football federations claim a monopoly which breaches European Union competition law.

This is the same court which prompted one football revolution back in 1995 with the so-called Bosman verdict, which drove a legal coach and horses through transfer system and player movement rules. Last month, Ruiz de Lara ordered an interim order against possible sanctions from UEFA and FIFA against the Super League clubs led by Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus.

His latest order has requested that the preliminary ruling be assessed by an urgent procedure to consider six specific questions of law. Last week, UEFA announced the start of a disciplinary investigation for a possible breach of regulations by Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus – the three clubs which had not formally resigned from the Super League project as had Arsenal, AC Milan, Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham.

• This article was originally published on Keir Radnedge’s internet site on 13 May 2021. Click here for the original.