European Super League: How Man Utd, Arsenal and Liverpool's breakaway plans could rob Scotland of key trio for Euro 2020

Players involved in the planned European Super League should be banned from all UEFA competitions, president Aleksandr Ceferin has said – and called on the move to be made “as soon as possible”.

Scotland's defender Andrew Robertson plays his club football for Liverpool. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)

European football’s governing body responded in the strongest possible terms to the plans for a breakaway league, led by three Serie A clubs in Italy, another three from Spain’s La Liga and six from England which was announced on Sunday evening.

UEFA president Aleksandr Ceferin described the project as “disgraceful”on Monday and warned players involved “should be banned from UEFA competitions as soon as possible”.

European Super League LIVE: Scottish football and world reaction to bombshell breakaway plans

The threat from Mr Ceferin creates a nightmare scenario for Steve Clarke and players of each of the dozen ‘founding member’ clubs with international ambitions – including Scots Euro hopefuls Andy Robertson of Liverpool, Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney and Scott McTominay of Manchester United.

Under the president’s declaration, the trio’s participation at this summer’s long-awaited football extravaganza – the first time Scotland have returned to a major tournament in more than a generation – could be under threat, due to their club affiliations.

A joint statement including UEFA and the English, Italian and Spanish leagues published on Sunday said it would consider "all measures, both judicial and sporting" to prevent the competition going ahead and could include attempts to bar the competing clubs from domestic leagues and players from UEFA's international competitions too.

Ceferin hit out at the plans and said: “I cannot stress more strongly, UEFA and the football world are united against this disgraceful, self serving from a select few clubs in Europe, fuelled by greed and nothing else.

"It is not just football, societies and governments across Europe are united, we are all united against this nonsense of a project.

"We have English, Spanish and Italian federations, FIFA, all 55 member associations unanimous in opposition against these cynical plans.

"Our sport has become greatest based on sporting merit and we cannot allow that to change, we will not ever."

World governing body FIFA has called for "calm, constructive dialogue" but the company behind the Super League is believed to have taken steps to protect itself against any legal challenges.

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