Europe's biggest football clubs will "kill off domestic football" if they push ahead with the idea for a European Super League.
That's the stark warning from Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola as he took aim at recirculating reports that clubs dominating their leagues across the continent could attempt to create a whole new competition only for the elite.
Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge denied reports last year that his club was behind the Super League bid.
But rumours refuse to go away that owners across the elite clubs want the breakaway league on top of the Champions League to further boost their bank balances.
German magazine Der Spiegel and European Investigative Collaborations, a network of international media, said in November last year they have seen leaked documents about a new 16-team league that will be formed outwith the auspices of UEFA.
It was said to involve top clubs such as Real Madrid, Manchester United , Juventus and Bayern Munich with five English clubs in the mix and none of the original members who join the league will be able to be relegated for 20 YEARS.
No Scottish sides or clubs from similar sized leagues were involved.
Now Guardiola has warned the game as we know it could die if the plans were ever to come to fruition.
Speaking to Catalan newspaper Ara, Guardiola said: "I do not agree much with the idea. Someone should explain to me.
"If it happens we'll kill the leagues.
"If Barca and Madrid go and they do not play against Espanyol, who will follow the league? The Spanish league will die.
"In England they are very intelligent, the grounds of the fourth division are full. England will not let this essence of local football die.
"Part of the greatness of the Champions League is that it is not every Sunday. If games were every week it would lose its charm.
"If we kill the domestic leagues, nobody will be interested in watching teams that do not have the chance to go to the European league."
