Barcelona stand-in president welcomes Real Madrid-UEFA agreement and Super League demise – ‘I’m glad’

Barcelona’s acting president Rafa Yuste has hailed Real Madrid’s recent accord with UEFA and the European Football Council as “common sense” and expressed satisfaction that the Super League project has collapsed, telling reporters: “I’m glad that common sense prevailed.”

Speaking on the eve of Barcelona’s pivotal Liga clash with Atlético Madrid, Yuste confirmed that the Catalan club had severed ties with the breakaway competition days earlier, a move he believes was instrumental in forcing Madrid to follow suit. “We distanced ourselves from the Super League days ago,” Yuste said, crediting the decision with leaving Madrid isolated and ultimately prompting their withdrawal.

The stand-in president, who assumed temporary leadership after Joan Laporta resigned to contest re-election, stressed that Barcelona’s exit was not a political gambit but a reflection of the club’s long-standing willingness to cooperate with governing bodies. “Barça did its homework,” he remarked when asked whether the outcome represented a personal setback for Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez. “We have a very good relationship with all the organisations. We always have, always exchanging opinions to be more constructive and look after the interests of our club.”

Yuste’s comments underline the widening rift between Spain’s two footballing powerhouses, whose relationship has cooled markedly since the Super League saga began. Yet the interim chief insisted that Barcelona harbour no ill will toward their rivals, only satisfaction that European football’s institutional framework has been preserved.

Former Madrid defender Raphaël Varane also endorsed the peace deal, adding a rare voice of unity to a story that has pitted club against club and president against president.