Real Madrid president Florentino Perez promotes European Super League AGAIN, after claiming it will 'offer fans top-level games year-round'... and suggests football has 'been overtaken by American sports' Florentino Perez has again promoted the idea of a European Super League The Real Madrid owner was chairman of the proposed Super League in 2021 He claims that football 'is losing its leadership as a global sport' in recent years He also referenced the rising interest in American sports across the globe Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has warned football fans that the sport is 'sick', as he continues to promote the European Super League. The 75-year-old was the chairman for the proposed ESL in 2021 which, due to backlash from fans all over Europe, was scrapped. But at Madrid's recent annual general meeting, Perez seemed to reinstate his desire to see the competition formed in the near future. Real Madrid's Florentino Perez has again called for the formation of a European Super League Perez referenced the fact that Madrid have only faced Liverpool nine times in his argument Speaking at the club's AGM on Sunday, Perez said: 'To fix a problem, you have to first recognise that you have a problem. Our sport is sick. It is losing its leadership as a global sport. 'We mustn't be confused by the impact of Real Madrid's European Cup run when we were involved in seven games of the highest intensity and interest. 'That was the result of the draw, and of the quality and greatness of our team. It was a spectacle that helped bring excitement back to the viewers. 'That's why we believe European competitions must change, to offer fans top-level games year-round between the strongest teams, with the best players competing.' Perez said Madrid 'were involved in seven games of the highest intensity and interest' last year Perez made reference to tennis, noting that recently-retired Roger Federer has regularly faced fellow elite players Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. 'In tennis, Nadal and Federer have played 40 times in 15 years. Nadal and Djokovic have played 59 matches in 16 years,' Perez added, quoted by ESPN. 'In football, we've only played Liverpool nine times in 67 years. We've played Chelsea four times in the history of the European Cup. What sense does it make to deprive fans of all these games?' It's true that Los Blancos have only come up against the Merseyside club nine times in their history - with five of those encounters coming since their group stage match in 2014. Madrid ran out 1-0 winners when they faced Liverpool at the Bernabeu in 2014 He continued: 'We were top in all sports, and now we've fallen to 13th. We've been overtaken by 12 clubs from American sports. They must be doing something very well in the United States and very badly in Europe. 'Football is losing the global entertainment battle against other sports and other platforms. We need a professional, modern, transparent management, not based on old structures designed in the last century. 'Recently the chairman of the European Clubs' Association [Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi] said – talking about the Super League – that Real Madrid are afraid of the competition. Maybe the president of the ECA has to be reminded who Real Madrid are. Competition is in our DNA.' Perez's statements fall in-line with the recent suggestions made by Chelsea owner Todd Boehly, who claimed European football has a lot to learn from American sports. The Blues' new co-controlling owner, who also owns shares of Los Angeles teams the Dodgers in Major League Baseball and the Lakers in the NBA, told a New York conference he has already floated the idea with Premier League counterparts. 'Ultimately I hope the Premier League takes a little bit of a lesson from American sports,' said Boehly. 'And really starts to figure out, why don't we do a tournament with the bottom four sports teams, why isn't there an All-Star game? 'People are talking about more money for the pyramid, in the MLB All-Star game this year we made 200 million dollars from a Monday and a Tuesday.'
