Having "rapidly mobilized to thwart rebel clubs from joining a breakaway European competition," the EPL is "taking steps to prevent the so-called 'Big Six' from attempting something similar in the future." England’s biggest clubs have "often used threats of joining a Super League as a power play in the past but now find themselves badly weakened." Now the EPL is "working to neuter those clubs further with punishments," a source said. The league is considering sanctions aimed at the club officials who plotted to join the breakaway venture, "rather than punishing the teams themselves."

The league will try to remove club execs from "key committees" like the one assessing the sale of TV rights. A governance review by the EPL will also explore measures to "leave clubs exposed legally if they go against the collective by trying to revive a Super League" (AP, 4/22).

Under the EPL's existing rule L9, there is a "list of other competitions that member clubs are permitted to play in," but the new rule will "end any possible ambiguities around new competitions outside the existing football structures." One club insider said that rule L9 was "clearly broken," as any EPL member club "needs prior written approval by the board to enter a new competition, and therefore the rebel clubs should face sanctions." There is another view, however, that the Big Six have been "so devastated by the events of the last week" that the "biggest punishment of all will be no longer being able to use the threat of a Super League" (LONDON TIMES, 4/22).

EPL CEO Richard Masters contacted execs on Wednesday including Chelsea Chair Bruce Buck and Arsenal CEO Vinai Venkatesham to request that they "relinquish their roles on the working groups." Club sources said that Buck, who is a member of the league's audit and remuneration committee, and Venkatesham, who sits on the Club Strategic Advisory Group, had been asked by Masters to "step down voluntarily or face being removed against their will." Man City CEO Ferran Soriano was also asked to step down from CSAG, according to sources. The EPL is also seeking the removal of ManU and Liverpool execs Ed Woodward and Tom Werner from its Club Broadcast Advisory Group, the sources added. An EPL spokesperson declined to comment on Wednesday (SKY SPORTS, 4/22).

The FA is is set to "review security" for this weekend’s English Football League Cup final after European Super League protests "escalated on Thursday" with ManU fans "storming the club’s training ground." Man City’s EFL Cup final clash with Tottenham at Wembley on Sunday will be the "first fixture between ESL clubs" since the secret breakaway was revealed and "dramatically collapsed." According to FA sources, they are aware that the showpiece "has the potential for more protests and security for the event will reflect this." As a test event for fans to return, the 8,000 at the national stadium will be the "biggest English crowd" since the COVID-19 pandemic closed soccer's doors (London TELEGRAPH, 4/22). 

ManU fans "blocked both entrances to the club's Carrington training ground" before the first-team's session on Thursday morning, with around 20 supporters breaching security at the training complex to unfurl banners that read, "51% MUFC 20," "We decide when you play" and "Glazer out." The "51%" is a reference to "fans holding the majority of voting rights at a club," which is commonplace in German soccer. The ManU supporters posed outside the entrance into the main building and on the first-team training pitch (MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS, 4/22).

PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the new chair of the European Club Association, has cemented his place as "one of the big winners of the Super League crisis." Al-Khelaifi has "publicly resisted" the breakaway European league since it was announced on Sunday, notably "drawing the praise" of UEFA President Alexsander Caferin. The PSG and beIN Sports boss "took on the role of the 'savior' of soccer for all," which he "embraced even more than his colleague," Bayern Munich President Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, whose club also refused to join the ESL. Still, Al-Khelaifi has reiterated that the failure of the Super League project "should not stop [European] soccer from implementing reforms" to improve the game (L'EQUIPE, 4/22).

England’s Euro 2020 matches could be played "almost entirely" at Wembley Stadium after the European Super League fiasco "killed a bid" by Tottenham to host extra matches. Dublin is expected to be "dropped as one of the 12 Euro 2020 host cities within the next 24 hours," having been so far unable to meet UEFA’s deadline for guaranteeing fans. Wembley already has the most games for the tournament, "three group matches, a last-16 tie, both semi-finals and the final." But it will be given an "eighth match," a last-16 tie on June 29. An announcement is expected to be made on Friday.

Wembley will "not get all the extra games reallocated" from Dublin on Friday, with Russia "certain" to be given one if not all of the group matches due to have been held there. A final plan for the delayed Euro 2020 competition is "moving apace," with local officials in the Spanish city of Bilbao confirming on Wednesday they had been "dropped by UEFA" (London TELEGRAPH, 4/22).

Bilbao said it was "unable to guarantee organisers it could host enough fans in the stadium." The city was due to host Spain's Group E games against Poland, Sweden and Slovakia, as well as a round-of-16 match. Bilbao authorities "are furious," saying in a statement, "Bilbao will not host games at Euro 2020. However, we won't allow Bilbao or the Basque institutions to be taken for a ride. Nor are we going to allow the proven and long-standing experience and capability of the Basque authorities to manage and organize international events to be called into question" (SKY SPORTS, 4/22).

Ligue 1 side Bordeaux has been "placed into administration" after its majority owners, American investment firm King Street Capital Management, "decided to pull all financial support" from the club. King Street, which has had majority control of Bordeaux since November '18, announced it "no longer wishes to support the club financially, now or in the future." Bordeaux's "deficit could climb to" €80M ($96M) by the end of this season amid Ligue 1's struggles with the pandemic and its failed TV-rights deal. That has become "too much for the majority owners to bear." Additionally, the club's supporters' groups have "long been opposed" to King Street's ownership (L'EQUIPE, 4/22). A potential buyer "has already made formal inquiries." French businessman Bruno Fievet said that he "will be discussing conditions of the sale with the courts" (RMC SPORT, 4/22).

Formula E's full calendar for this season has been revealed, featuring a new race venue and updates to previously scheduled events. The schedule is set to host more races than ever before in a single season, comprising 15 races in eight cities, covering three continents. A new location will be visited for the Puebla E-Prix in Mexico June 19-20. N.Y. will host Rounds 10 and 11 in Red Hook, Brooklyn, on July 10-11. Formula E then returns to Europe for the London E-Prix July 24-25 for a doubleheader event, before heading to Berlin for the season finale double-header on August 14-15.

The Marrakesh E-Prix and Santiago E-Prix, scheduled for May 22 and June 5-6 respectively, have been removed from the calendar.

Meanwhile, DHL -- Formula E's Official Founding & Logistics Partner -- was named race title partner for the Valencia E-Prix. Additionally, China-based 333 Racing has become the latest manufacturer to commit to the Gen3 era of Formula E, which will commence in '22 (Formula E).

Victoria’s public health team "has rejected" the Australian Football League's bid to have a 100% crowd capacity at this weekend’s marquee matches at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, "instead allowing stadiums" to be at 85% capacity. That is a 10% increase on the current 75% capacity limit, "meaning 85,000 fans could go to the MCG to watch Collingwood versus Essendon on Anzac Day [Sunday], and Melbourne versus Richmond on Anzac Day eve [Saturday]." Only a "handful of tickets for the Collingwood and Essendon clash were left on Wednesday, so the 10,000 capacity boost means those who might have missed out on the game could still get in" (THE AGE, 4/22).

Arsenal Director Josh Kroenke told supporters his family has "no intention of selling the club despite the fierce backlash that greeted the botched attempt this week to join a European Super League" (London GUARDIAN, 4/22).

Miami-based sports brand BOL will design new kits for the Trinidad and Tobago national soccer team as part of a two-year partnership (BOL)

The New Zealand government has "acquired the NG building, the last privately-owned property standing on the site planned for Christchurch's new stadium" (STUFF, 4/22).

Japanese sports marketing firm Dentsu renewed its deal with the Asian Football Confederation, remaining its commercial partner for the '21-24 rights cycle (AFC).

“Absolutely not, you can’t punish an idea that wasn’t carried out” -- Italian Football Federation (FIGC) President Gabriele Gravina, when asked if he would impose sanctions on the three Serie A clubs involved in the failed attempt to launch a Super League (GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT, 4/21).

"It is a preventative measure, and for this limited time. ... This is absolutely in line with the overall policy of the government, but it is not related to the Olympic Games" -- IOC President Thomas Bach, on the Japanese government's plan to impose a fresh coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo (KYODO, 4/22).

"I’m glad the united voice of football fans has been heard and listened to. ... It is now really important that we use this moment to secure the future health of the game at all levels" -- FA President Prince William, on the European Super League fallout (London TELEGRAPH, 4/22).

The Australian's Alan Jones addresses Rugby Australia's talks with private equity investors under the headline, "Why rugby should not be for sale."

The Financial Times' Daniel Dombey & Arash Massoudi write that Real Madrid President Florentino Perez, the chair of the breakaway Super League, now "faces his greatest challenge."

The London Times' Henry Winter believes that "lame apologies do not begin to repair owners’ reputations" amid the breakaway European Super League fiasco.

Actual quotes on the state of European ⚽️:

"Even mafia organizations have some sort of code." — UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin to NYT.

"I don’t think our industry is a particularly sincere, trustworthy or reliable one in general.” — Juventus chair Andrea Agnelli to Reuters.

— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) April 22, 2021

The Italy, Switzerland, Austria and Czech Republic away kits have been released for Euro 2020.

Puma have certainly gone with a 'less is more' approach. 🙄 pic.twitter.com/g6vVD7Nxth

— Sam Street (@samstreetwrites) April 22, 2021

📸 Pics of the Z-day 🖼️ #SempreMilan #ReadyToUnleash pic.twitter.com/1JhK31AGIA

— AC Milan (@acmilan) April 22, 2021