UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has emerged as the sentry of tradition and excellence as he unflinchingly addressed two pivotal issues – the rise of the Saudi Pro League and the impending season of the Champions League.
Ceferin drew parallels between Saudi Arabia's budding football venture and the once-bright constellation of the Chinese league, which had, not too long ago, beckoned stars to its dazzling orbit.
"This is not a dire threat, but a deja vu," he told L'Equipe.
He recalled the Chinese experiment – a foray that wielded lavish riches to allure veterans, yet ultimately fizzled in the quest for global dominance.
"Money alone cannot cultivate a footballing powerhouse; it is the nurturing of talent and the cultivation of coaching expertise that births true champions," he said.
He went on to emphasize that the zenith of talent, those in their prime, have shied away from Saudi Arabia's beckoning call.
"There are players in twilight and those who dare not dream of scaling the summits of elite competition," he said.
"To my knowledge, Mbappe and Haaland harbor no dreams of being in Saudi Arabia. The best of the best are drawn to European soil, where their legacies are preserved, " he said.
Ceferin also stood as the bastion against notions of Saudi Arabia as a UEFA competitor.
"This narrative may titillate the media, but it finds no resonance within European football," he said.
"We shall watch, but never shall we entertain the thought that our cherished competitions are endangered," he added.
In recent weeks, whispers of Saudi Arabian clubs gracing the Champions League stage had swirled in the footballing ether, but Ceferin swiftly quashed such speculations.
"A media outlet, without seeking our counsel, treaded into the realm of fiction but only European clubs hold the keys to the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League," he said.
The prospect of a Champions League final beyond the European frontier also ignited a debate, but Ceferin remained unwavering.
"Only European federations possess the privilege of bidding to host our grand finale, not even the clubs," he clarified. "Alteration of our age-old statutes is a path we shun and one that shall remain untraveled."
