Nasser Al-Khelaifi replaces Juventus President Andrea Agnelli as chairman of the ECA

Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli left the job after news of the formation of the breakaway league was revealed. He stepped down from the ECA, assuming to have procured the role of the new competition’s vice-chairman.

The European Club Association is the sole, independent body directly representing football clubs at the European level. Since its creation in 2008, ECA, the ‘voice of the clubs’, has positioned itself as an important and respected stakeholder in the international football landscape.

To Agnelli’s misfortune, since the Premier League clubs pulled out of the Super League, it took out the legs for the league to stand and build upon. There are talks that the ESL now is being diverted to an ‘unprecedented disbandment.’ 

Aleksander Ceferin, UEFA president, initiated the decision of choosing Nasser Al-Khelaifi. “With your help, we will save football”. Ceferin said to Al-Khelaifi.

The Qatari is a highly influential person in world football and has been posted as the president of PSG since 2011. Under him, the French giants have won the league seven times and are currently on their way closer to winning the Champions League title after knocking Bayern Munich out in the Quarter-finals. Moreover,

“I am honoured and humbled to have been appointed by my fellow ECA Executive Board Members as Chairman. The leadership, integrity, and togetherness of our organisation has never been more required than at this pivotal moment in European football. I will provide my unconditional commitment to the entire football community: that means to all ECA Member Clubs from every European nation, and to the fans and communities they represent.

“I, alongside all my fellow ECA Board Members and Clubs, am looking to reinforce ECA in its role as the legitimate and singular voice of Europe’s clubs. Our game, adored by generations of supporters, will only prosper under unity, and it is our duty as the custodians of football to fulfil this obligation.”

Also taking in account the fact that Qatar is set to be holding the World Cup in 2022, It wouldn’t have been logical for Al-Khelaifi to have FIFA and UEFA on his bad side.