Real Madrid is preparing to take UEFA to court in what could become one of the most expensive legal battles in football history.
The Spanish giants, in partnership with A22 Sports Management — promoters of the European Super League project — are seeking €4.5 billion in damages over what they describe as years of financial and reputational harm caused by UEFA’s monopoly on European football.
The News Chronicle reported that Real Madrid’s legal team has already begun formal preparations for the lawsuit, following a decisive Madrid court ruling that backed the club’s claims.
The court found UEFA in violation of European Union competition laws, a verdict that effectively gave Madrid president Florentino Pérez the go-ahead to demand compensation for lost profits and opportunities linked to UEFA’s restrictions on the Super League.
The decision signals a significant turning point in a long-standing dispute dating back to April 2021, when 12 elite European clubs—including Real Announced plans for the breakaway Super League by Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus.
Conceived as a high-revenue substitute for the UEFA Champions League, the effort fell apart within two days in reaction from supporters, authorities, and football organizations.
Madrid and A22 kept their legal push despite the backlash, arguing that UEFA’s domination strangled innovation and fair competition.
Their tenacity showed results in 2023 when the CJEU decided that UEFA’s approval standards for new competitions broke EU law.
The Spanish Audiencia Provincial eventually reaffirmed this view, undermining UEFA’s legal foundation even more and emboldening Madrid’s position.
Sources with information on the issue say early 2025 failed negotiations between UEFA and A22 drove the parties toward court.
While Pérez saw legal action as the only way forward, UEFA was accused of postponing discussions to preserve dominance.
If Madrid’s €4.5 billion claim succeeds, it could reshape European football’s financial structure and challenge UEFA’s decades-long dominance over club competitions, setting a precedent that could invite similar suits from other clubs across the continent.
