Real Madrid boss Perez claims Super League will 'save football'

Florentino Perez has claimed the Super League, which he has been picked to lead, will "save football" with the money generated by the elite clubs welcomed to the competition trickling down to everyone else.

The comments by Perez, who also heads Real Madrid, come as his proposed 20-team annual tournament has received intense backlash from many European clubs, as well as UEFA. Real Madrid are one of 12 announced founders who would be immune to relegation. Three more founders have yet to be announced.

Despite Perez's assertions, those left outside of the Super League believe that it's the new competition and not the sport's traditional framework that would be ruinous, with football's governing bodies so worried about the economic damage that they've threatened bans for players at participating clubs.

What has been said?

"[We are doing it] to save the more modest clubs, before the chance to save them has gone," Perez said during a Monday interview with El Chingruito.

"This will save everyone. Football is going through a really delicate moment. The worst in 20 years. It won't disappear but it could slip down to a different level, if the youngsters aren't interested in it.

"We're fighting for the future of football. There are people who aren't taking this seriously.

"We will help football at every level and take it to its rightful place in the world. Football is the only global sport in the world with more than four billion fans and our responsibility as big clubs is to respond to their desires."

Who is in the Super League?

Further reading

• Liverpool fans may never forgive their club
• UEFA president: Super League players will be banned
• What is the Super League? Teams involved, format & reaction