Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge insists the club would DECLINE club’s invitation to join European Super League as he believes the controversial concept would ’cause serious damage’ to domestic football

  • Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has reservations about a European Super League
  • The Bayern Munich chief believes the project would damage domestic football
  • Bayern would be one of the founding members if the project went ahead 

Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has admitted that he has serious reservations about the project of creating a European Super League and would ‘decline’ the club’s invitation to join one.

The idea of an members-only Super League has been widely condemned since it was introduced in the last year, which would see more than a dozen teams across England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain become founding members of the new £4.6bn-backed tournament.

Bayern would be one of the clubs at the front of the queue to join the competition, given they are one of the most successful clubs in history and are also the reigning champions of Europe. 

Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has reservations about a European Super League

However, any such creation would pose a major threat to the beautiful game as we know it – a concern that Rummenigge says would see him decline Bayern’s invitation to join.

‘If the system changed, it could make it more difficult for many people to identify with football,’ Rummenigge said in an interview with TZ and Merkur.

‘It could cause serious damage to the national leagues, that is why I have my reservations. If I had to decide today for Bayern, I would decline.’ 

The controversial project would pit Europe's best against each other in an exclusive league

The controversial project would pit Europe’s best against each other in an exclusive league

Bayern Munich would be one of the founding members if the project went ahead

Bayern Munich would be one of the founding members if the project went ahead 

Rummenigge acknowledged that the idea of a Super League would attracted a lot of interest while admitting the concept would help clubs recuperate a lot of lost funds from the ongoing global pandemic. 

‘They naturally think where there can be growth in the future, and a Super League would bring economic growth and arouse interest,’ Rummenigge concluded.

Unlike Rummenigge, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is a big advocate for the project and has been criticised for his stance by UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin in recent weeks. 

As well as domestic football, the competition presents a threat to UEFA’s Champions League and has been spearheaded by Perez, as well as Liverpool and Manchester United.  

Real Madrid's Florentino Perez is spearheading a campaign to create the £4.6bn tournament

Real Madrid’s Florentino Perez is spearheading a campaign to create the £4.6bn tournament

Ceferin took aim at the Real Madrid chief last month, insisting that other European giants are reticent to get on board with the proposed league. 

‘This is the dream of Florentino Pérez for the last 30 years,’ he told Slovenian daily 24.ur via AS in December. 

‘Two main candidates for the presidency of Barcelona publicly oppose the Super League, as well as Bayern, Juventus and English clubs. He only watches football today, maybe tomorrow, but does not go beyond.’

Cerefin’s comments follow on from remarks made by LaLiga president Javier Tebas, who questioned the financial sustainability of the league, which he said ‘only looks good when drafted at a bar at 5 in the morning.’  

UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin slammed Perez saying he 'only thinks of today, not tomorrow'

UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin slammed Perez saying he ‘only thinks of today, not tomorrow’

Perez urged football to embrace change amid the coronavirus pandemic earlier this month in his most recent pitch for the Super League to be created.

‘Nothing will be like it was before. The pandemic obliges us to make football more competitive. We must innovate and look for formulas to ensure football remains attractive,’ Perez said at Real’s annual general assembly.

‘Real Madrid played a part in the foundation of FIFA and the European Cup and the current model needs a reboot, as the impact of COVID-19 has demonstrated. Football needs new momentum and Real Madrid will be right there at the heart of it.’