Chelsea ‘drawing up plans to LEAVE the European Super League amid backlash from the football world as Blues become first of 12 clubs to back out of breakaway competition’
Chelsea are reportedly preparing documents to withdraw from the European Super League, in a blow to the controversial plans over a breakaway.
The Blues are one of six English clubs to sign up to the exclusive league, announcing their intentions to join alongside Man United, Man City, Liverpool, Spurs, Arsenal, AC Milan, Inter, Juventus, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
However, amid growing fan pressure in response to the news, BBC‘s Dan Roan reports that the west London club are preparing to withdraw their support from the plot.
Owner Roman Abramovich is understood to have driven the decision, having listened to fan protests and opted to withdraw from the new European league plans.
Abramovich’s motivations are thought never to have been about money, and the Blues are now understood to be preparing documents to withdraw formally from the competition.
Stamford Bridge chiefs were only thought to have signed up as a founder member of the Super League in order not to be left behind by the rogue breakaway.
But after resounding condemnation from across the political and sporting spectrum, Chelsea appear to have now decided to pull out of the competition – less than 48 hours after it was announced.
The news comes after Sportsmail’s Oliver Holt first reported on Monday night that two Premier League clubs were beginning to get cold feet over the plans to form a breakaway league, such was the extent of the backlash from fans and pundits.
Just moments after news of Chelsea’s desire to withdraw emerged, The Sun report that Manchester City are also looking to leave the £4.6bn scheme.