Juventus chief Andrea Agnelli has been named as the vice-chair of the new European Super League, and he has explained why he believed the new competition will be positive for the sport on the whole.

Agnelli’s involvement may well come into question, having been ECA president at the time of announcement, a position he has relinquished to take up a role within the ESL.

The Juve chief will be joint-vice chairman alongside Manchester United’s Joel Glazer, and Agnelli was amongst the first to comment on the new competition.

“Our 12 Founder clubs represent billions of fans across the globe and 99 European trophies,” Agnelli said in the first official statement from the ESL (via Football Italia). “We have come together at this critical moment, enabling European competition to be transformed, putting the game we love on a sustainable footing for the long-term future, substantially increasing solidarity, and giving fans and amateur players a regular flow of headline fixtures that will feed their passion for the game while providing them with engaging role models.”

The VC claims that the decision was taken to better the footballing community, and it sounds as though he is partly blaming the current world climate where teams have lost huge incomes in matchday revenue.

The general consensus on social media appears to be negative however, with the bigger clubs no longer having to earn their place in the competition, with just five places expected to be earned, with 15 of the biggest clubs to be granted their entry through stature.

Will Agnelli be amongst the most vilified as this rolls on? Will the waters calm and more become known on the ESL’s plans to help football in the bigger picture?

Patrick