Arsenal have withdrawn from the European Super League and apologised to their fans and the wider football community.
The Gunners made the announcement in a statement on Tuesday night, just 48 hours after revealing they would be one of the 12 founding members of the new League.
After an immense backlash from the public – including vice-captain Hector Bellerin – the club have taken a dramatic U-turn just 48 hours later after it was confirmed earlier on Tuesday evening that fellow Premier League sides Chelsea and Manchester City would be pulling out of the new tournament.
In a tweet from the club’s official account, Arsenal apologised to their supporters and accepted blame for taking the decision which they now admit was wrong.
A statement released by the Arsenal board on the club’s website said:
“The last few days have shown us yet again the depth of feeling our supporters around the world have for this great club and the game we love.
“We needed no reminding of this but the response from supporters in recent days has given us time for further reflection and deep thought.
“It was never our intention to cause such distress, however when the invitation to join the Super League came, while knowing there were no guarantees, we did not want to be left behind to ensure we protected Arsenal and its future.
“As a result of listening to you and the wider football community over recent days we are withdrawing from the proposed Super League. We made a mistake, and we apologise for it.”
Manchester City had revealed they were pulling out of the radical new plan earlier in the day, with Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea also following suit.
