In 1999, the Champions League entered a new era by welcoming up to 4 clubs from Italy, Spain and Germany. It was the creation of a European Superleague, sponsored by Silvio Berlusconi in 98, which prompted UEFA to turn its prestigious competition upside down.
UEFA has prepared a new Champions League format for the 2024-2025 season, with a 36-team “league phase”. The clubs will challenge 8 different opponents. The European body met the expectations of major European clubs, which did not prevent Florentino Pérez and Andrea Agnelli from creating a Superleague in April 2021. An initiative which caused a huge scandal and which was abandoned…
What has been forgotten is that the threat of a Superleague has already revolutionized the UCL. It was in… 1998! Silvio Berlusconi, then at the head of AC Milan, has always campaigned for a competition favorable to the richest. At the initiative of the media magnate, 16 European clubs, including OM and PSG, said yes to a European championship.
A coup that forced UEFA to review its plans. At the end of negotiations with the armed wing of Berlusconi, in October 98, the authority gave 4 tickets to Italy, Spain and Germany to 3 to England and France. The beginning of a new era for European football, with the unchallenged domination of the most powerful championships.
Golazo, the Sports.fr podcast, looks back on this incredible scheme on the part of the “Cavaliere” 25 years ago, as well as on the crazy creation of the European Cup, named Cup of Champions Clubs then Champions League in from 1992.
