The European Super League is on the brink before it even manages to launch.
The state of play: Two key English teams — Chelsea and Manchester City — are reportedly preparing to exit just two days after the league announced its formation, ESPN notes.
The big picture: The league has been met with withering backlash.
- Roughly 1,000 Chelsea fans protested their club's inclusion ahead of today's Premier League game against Brighton.
When news broke of Chelsea's exit from the league, the fans jubilantly cheered, "We saved football!"
Between the lines: Players on the member clubs didn't know they'd be in the league before it was announced.
- "I can only say my personal opinion: I don't like it," said Liverpool's James Milner yesterday. "Hopefully it doesn't happen."
The bottom line: The league keeps the unfairness of the U.S. system, Axios' Felix Salmon wrote this morning, and takes away the elements that help to even things out.
- Soccer has seen no shortage of greedy owners buying trophies, but it's never been as brazen as this.
