Football fans attempted to block Liverpool’s team bus from arriving at Elland Road for their game against Leeds.
Twelve clubs across Europe, including the Merseysiders owned by John W. Henry’s Fenway Sports Group, announced the launch of a breakaway tournament that would replace their European commitments with UEFA, such as the Champions League.
And fans from both sides protested against the proposals before the game got underway.
Supporters attempted to block Liverpool’s team bus from arriving at Elland Road
Fans held banners outside Elland Road ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Leeds after the Merseysiders joined the European Super League on Sunday
Liverpool fans went to Elland Road and held a banner disapproving of owners Fenway Sports Group signing them up for the breakaway tournament
Fans who could have been from either club ran in front of the bus as it was arriving to Elland Road in an attempt to block it from going to the stadium.
Leeds and Liverpool also gathered together to hold up banners expressing their feelings on the prospect of a European Super League.
Liverpool manager JUrgen Klopp was shocked after his players received abuse when they went out for a walk on Monday morning to prepare for a match that ended in a 1-1 draw. He was even more taken aback when arriving at the stadium with Leeds and Liverpool fans both venting their fury.
One fan even tried to physically push Liverpool’s team bus back while it was trundling on the approach to Elland Road and Klopp said that criticism aimed towards Liverpool had incited a toxic mood and he urged for emotions to be kept in check.
‘Leeds fans came here before the game and they were shouting at us, in the city when we had a walk this afternoon people were shouting at us. But we have nothing to do with it.
The new mega-rich Super League has been condemned as the same 15 sides qualify every year
‘We are employees of the club and I feel responsible for a lot of things in this club. When I am involved in things then I take the criticism easily, when the boys are involved they have to take it and do that as well. But we aren’t involved in this one.
‘It’s a tough one at the moment when you hear pundits talking about the club. This club is bigger than all of us, we should not forget that. This club has been through difficult times.’
The new Super League plans have been highly criticised, mainly due to the rule that the same 15 clubs will automatically qualify for the tournament irrespective of their performances in the domestic league.
One banner from an angry Liverpool supporter read: ‘Fans say no to Fenway’s Super Greed (FSG). No Super League.’
Another banner unveiled by supporters read: ‘Love for the working class game, ruined by greed and corruption! RIP LFC. Thanks for the memories’
Other banners outside the ground read: ‘RIP Football 1863-2021’ and ‘Fans before finance’.
Leeds United fans also produced a banner inside their Elland Road stadium on Monday night that read, ‘Earn it on the pitch, football is for the fans.’
Fans gathered outside the Leeds stadium to express their anger about the Super League
Fans held up banners of ‘RIP Football’ as anger grows over the creation of a new tournament
Another banner contained a quote from Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa which said, ‘One of the reasons football is the most popular sport in the world is because the weak can beat the powerful.’
Liverpool agreed to join the Super League along with Manchester clubs City and United and London clubs Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham.
The tournament, which Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan have also signed up for, will see 15 teams qualify automatically for the tournament every season with five additional qualifying places up for grabs.
Liverpool joined the Super League along with the other five ‘Big Six’ Premier League clubs
The Super League will see 15 teams automatically qualify for the tournament every year
Teams will be split into two groups of ten, with the top three teams from each group qualifying for the quarter-finals – with play-offs to decide the other two teams reaching the knockout rounds.
Football supporters have complained about the creation of a Super League, with Liverpool fans also protesting against the move outside their Anfield Stadium.
Two large black banners were put up on the Anfield gates saying, ‘Shame on You. RIP LFC 1892-2021’ and ‘LFC Fans against European Super League.’
Fans also held banners outside Manchester United’s Old Trafford and the Tottenham Hotspur training ground.
Liverpool fans protested outside their Anfield Stadium on Monday after the news broke
Supporters also took a banner to Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium on Monday
A fan holds a banner outside the Tottenham Hotspur training ground in protest of the league
Football governing bodies UEFA, FIFA, the Premier League, the FA and European Club Association along with football associations in Italy and Spain have shown their disapproval about the ‘closed’ Super League that goes against ‘sporting competition and integrity’.
UEFA have already threatened to ban the sides involved in the Super League from European competitions this season and also prevent their players from taking part in international football.
The organisation’s president Alexander Ceferin said: ‘These are so-called big clubs, it is clear that the big clubs of today were not always big clubs. Juventus were in Serie B, Man United before Sir Alex Ferguson was I don’t know where.’
‘We will do the sanctions we can do within the law, of course.’
