Former Arsenal manager Unai Emery has described the proposed plan to introduce the European Super League as a "war for the control of football."
Emery made the admission whilst speaking to the media on Tuesday lunchtime ahead of Villarreal's clash with Alaves in La Liga tomorrow evening.
Six clubs from England, including Arsenal, have joined forces with Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus to form the new mid-week competition, which will see those involved breakaway from the UEFA Champions League.
But whilst the 12 clubs involved may have hoped to have put their plan into place without a fuss, they could not have been more wrong, with the move having been greeted with a wave of disgust, anger and frustration from across the continent, none more so than in England where clubs, including Everton, pundits and supporters have blasted the plan.
Now, former Gunners chief Emery has joined those in being against the proposals, launching a stinging attack.
The Spaniard, who will return to England next month when his Villarreal side face Arsenal in the semi-finals of the Europa League, should the Gunners still be allowed to compete in the competition by that moment in time, has hit out at the plan, describing it as a "war for control."
"This is a war for the control of football. The clubs have rebelled against control of UEFA," Emery said on Tuesday lunchtime.
"My position, in principle, is (that I'm) against it. It's very risky for football and its essence."
Emery is not the first person to have had previous connections with Arsenal to have slammed the proposals, joining Ian Wright, Lee Dixon and Mesut Ozil in making his voice heard.
The idea has not gone down well with anyone outside of England's 'big six,' none less so than former Manchester United defender Gary Neville, who once again slammed the idea in a memorable appearance on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football last night.
Neville told Sky Sports: "I think there’s a lack of willingness. They want to change the system, they want to chase the very fabric of the pyramid - relegation and promotion - so they have certainty and rely on their income year-in, year-out.
"Manchester United, they lose loads of money from their sponsors when they don’t qualify for the Champions League and they’ve been really good at not qualifying for the Champions League over the last ten years, but they were banking on it all the time under Sir Alex Ferguson.
"There weren’t massive amounts of money being invested and still getting into the Champions League every season and they just thought it was their right, they're entitled, they think they’re entitled to be in there - but they’re not and they’ve had the shock of their lives.
"Arsenal, Spurs, Manchester United, Chelsea have fallen out of it, Liverpool, to be fair, (haven’t) under Jurgen Klopp. They want to change the system for their own benefit, more people watch those clubs, they want to own subscription, they want subscription models, they want to put it on their phone."
