UEFA is ready to take serious disciplinary action against clubs that signed up to the Super League and are yet to sufficiently distance themselves from the project according to reports by ESPN.
This could result in the maximum punishment, which is a two-year ban from the Champions League or Europa League.
In the last 10 days, UEFA has been talking with the 12 clubs, in a bid to agree a lesser sanction and a promise not to continue with the Super League.
As of Wednesday, they had reached an understanding with seven clubs: Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.
Inter Milan were close to an agreement as well, according to sources.
The remaining four clubs – Juventus, Real Madrid, Barcelona and AC Milan – have so far remained adamant and could face the UEFA disciplinary process for, among other things, violating Article 51 of the statutes, which states that “No combinations or alliances between… clubs affiliated, directly or indirectly, to different UEFA Member Associations may be formed without the permission of UEFA.”
The four clubs believe they are in a strong position, as the original documents submitted to UEFA and FIFA, stated that the Super League was asking “for permission” to run their competition and for “recognition”, rather than breaking away from the organisation.