The threats coming from the European Super League are more or less gone and “dissolving like a lump of sugar”, feels La Liga president Javier Tebas.

In his evaluation of the current situation in European football, Tebas, during a global virtual conference on Thursday, said: “If you remember, long time ago even within the ECA (European Club Association), we’ve had constant threats of creating a competition outside the ordinary football. And finally this threat came to a reality. But in 48 hours, most of the threat is gone.

“So in 20-25 years, waiting for this set up of the ESL, the threat did come off. But look at the kind of consequences now because it’s dissolving like a lump of sugar.

“In my opinion, the positive thing is this threat is now going to disappear.”

Taking a dig at Real Madrid Florentino Perez, who had spoken in favour of the ESL, the La Liga president questioned its very motive. “First of all, they said they have come to save us from all those financial crises, but I don’t think that’s necessarily true. Also, that it’s not going to affect the domestic competition (of all countries) isn’t true as well. Things should be based on sporting merit.

“Now, if it’s excellent for football, as the president of Real Madrid has said, and that they are going to help us all out, then they wouldn’t have done it behind our backs... Would’ve been made public a long time ago.

“It was done behind our backs because they are doing something that’s not necessarily good. A lot of the clubs knew it wasn’t good for domestic leagues, not just La Liga,” Tebas lashed out.

Reminding Madrid and Barcelona about the pivotal role La Liga has played behind their development and progress, Tebas spoke of the need for protective measures to avoid a similar situation in the future.

“Madrid and Barca are where they are today only because of the Spanish league. To be in our league, they have to respect the competition.

“But we don’t really need to apply any sanctions at the moment. We’re studying the situation and rather than sanctions, we’re looking for protective measures so that this doesn’t happen again.”

The American concept of sport doesn’t match with that of Europe at all, Tebas categorically mentioned. “American owners have a different concept of sport as in the competition structure for them is about closed competitions so that they get more money. But that’s not the European style.

“The model of the industry that we have in Europe deals with open competitions and not closed ones like in the United States,” he pointed out.

The other dignitaries present at the conference were Sevilla president Jose Castro, Real Betis board of directors chairman Angel Haro, Villarreal president Fernando Roig, Valencia boss Anil Murthy and Levante president Francisco J. Catalan.