SPAIN — Barcelona president Joan Laporta insisted Sunday (June 20) that the controversial SuperLeague project "is still alive" despite it being widely condemned as a crude land grab.

"The project is alive," Mr Laporta said at a meeting of club members where he claimed the competition would be worth "a minimum of 700 million euros (S$1.12 billion) per season for Barcelona".

Despite opposition from Uefa, fans and rival clubs, Mr Laporta insisted the SuperLeague would mean "financial sustainability for the clubs and makes for a more attractive competition".

"Do not make us apologise for thinking about or organising a competition, or for wanting to be masters of our own destiny in the world of football."

Mr Laporta also labelled Uefa as "de facto monopoly." 

Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus are the last three clubs that remain in the project after the other nine founding clubs backed down in the face of opposition from fans, players and organisations.

Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin has ruled out abandoning disciplinary action against the remaining rebels, telling AFP on the eve of Euro 2020 that the Superleague trio have "lost the moral and sporting battle".

European football's governing body has suspended legal action "until further notice" against the three clubs. AFP