FLORENTINO PEREZ has warned the Premier League so-called ‘Big Six’ they cannot leave the European Super League.
And the Real Madrid chief continues to insist the widely-hated new breakaway franchise division ‘still exists’.
Perez, 74, is the chairman and primary driving force behind the controversial ESL which publicised its plans last Sunday night.
Within 48 hours, though, after a furious backlash from players, managers, pundits and fans, all six of the English rebels had made dramatic U-turns and signalled they were pulling out.
However, the self-proclaimed ‘saviour of football’ Perez reiterated to AS that Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham and the two Manchester clubs are legally tied into the plans and the ESL will go ahead in some format.
He said: “I’m not going to explain now what a binding contract is… But come on, the clubs can’t leave.
“Some of them, because of pressure, have had to say that they’re leaving.
“But this project or one like it will go forward, and I hope it’s soon.
“The Super League still exists, and the members are still in it.
“Now we have given ourselves some weeks to think, while we face the violence that some people, who don’t want to lose their privileges, have used to manipulate our project.”
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Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan also withdrew – as did American investors JP Morgan who were planning to stump up an initial £3.5billion for the closed-shop competition.
The bankrollers admitted they ‘misjudged’ the situation on Friday.
A statement from a JP Morgan spokesperson read: “We clearly misjudged how this deal would be viewed by the wider football community and how it might impact them in the future. We will learn from this.”
But Perez incredibly denied they had pulled out as well.
He added: “That’s not true, they haven’t [withdrawn] either.
“They’ve taken some time for reflection, like the 12 clubs, and if we have to change something, we’ll change it.”
However, leaked documents to Der Spiegel revealed the clubs could leave – but would face a £130million bill.
The 15 proposed clubs were split into three groups with Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Atletico Madrid handed the lowest figure.
Some £116m was promised to each of the quartet for their slice of the grant, 88.5 per cent of which was to be spread across the founders.
All six English clubs as well as Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich were set to take home £236m each.
While Barcelona and Real Madrid were both obliged to be awarded an extra £52m, according to the leak.
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