Ceferin extends olive branch to Florentino: 'We had disagreements, but never lost respect'
UEFA president welcomes Real Madrid and Barcelona 'back to the family' after reaching agreement, while taking subtle digs at FIFA and LaLiga's foreign match plans.
UEFA’s top dog Aleksander Ceferin has publicly buried the hatchet with Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, claiming their bitter Superleague feud never damaged their mutual respect despite their almighty barney over the future of European football.
Peace treaty with the rebels
Speaking at UEFA’s annual congress, Ceferin sounded proper chuffed about the recent agreement with the Spanish giants, who had been leading the Superleague rebellion against UEFA’s authority.
“I’m delighted that Madrid and Barcelona are back in our family again,” Ceferin declared, looking like the cat who got the cream after months of legal battles and public spats.
In a surprising show of diplomatic flair, the Slovenian lawyer extended praise to both sides of what had been a bitter divide:
- Acknowledged Florentino Pérez: “We never lost mutual respect with Florentino nor our love for football, even though we had our differences”
- Thanked PSG president Al-Khelaifi: Praised his “leadership” in helping broker peace between the warring parties
- Emphasized that “the only winner is football” from the reconciliation
Unity in a fragmenting world
Ceferin’s speech had a proper philosophical bent to it, warning about global polarization and how football stands as a unifying force in increasingly divided times.
He took a pop at critics who claim the beautiful game needs radical changes to survive with the youth market:
“Some say football must change to survive with the next generation, and they’re wrong. Young people haven’t moved away from football – they’re filling stadiums,” he insisted.
Subtle digs at rivals
The UEFA president couldn’t resist having a couple of cheeky swipes at his counterparts:
- FIFA’s Infantino: While wishing him luck with the World Cup, he stressed players shouldn’t be “forced to choose” between club and country competitions – a clear reference to FIFA’s expanded calendar
- LaLiga’s Tebas: Warned that exporting domestic matches abroad “weakens connection” with fans and “betrays loyalty” – a direct challenge to Tebas’ plans for LaLiga games in the USA
Ceferin’s bread and butter message throughout was about football’s role as “community, not product” – positioning UEFA as the guardian of tradition while adapting to modern challenges with their revamped competitions.
The speech marks a significant thawing in relations between UEFA and the Spanish giants, suggesting the Superleague saga might finally be reaching its conclusion after years of aggro.