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International Champions Cup mastermind dismisses alleged European Super League plans
THE MAN behind an international tournament to be held this summer that includes six Premier League clubs has denied that it is intended to be the first step towards a breakaway European Super League.
Real Madrid won the Australian and Chinese editions of the 2015 International Champions Cup
But he admitted that the clubs themselves might want to take the idea further.
Charlie Stillitano made headlines in March when he met Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and the Manchester clubs, sparking fears of plans for an elite-only Champions League.
But he said: “We cannot in any way, shape or form make a Super League. We are not the architects of this discussion.
"We know for a fact that everyone’s talking about it - there’s the ECA [European Club Association], there’s Uefa - and looking for a way to improve things.
"But if they look at our tournament and see it as a model of a way for them to go forward, it’s not us suggesting that. To me it’s in the hands of the clubs and Uefa."