Real Madrid and Barcelona return to ECA as UEFA-FIFA war keeps raging

The annual Assembly of the European Club Association (ECA) in Copenhagen offered a glimpse of normality in the relations between Real Madrid, Barcelona and UEFA, but it also made clear that peace is far from universal in European football. While the two Spanish giants are regaining their place within the body that represents European clubs, the war between UEFA and FIFA continues unabated, and Manchester City remains in a holding pattern over a potential sanction.

• The ECA showcases the return of Real Madrid and Barcelona to UEFA's sphere.
• Miguel Ángel Gil Marín and Joan Laporta hold a cordial meeting to ease tensions after the Julián Álvarez affair.
• UEFA and FIFA remain locked in a legal battle with mutual accusations in US courts.
• Manchester City awaits a court ruling on alleged financial irregularities.
• Aleksander Ceferin launches scathing criticism at Gianni Infantino without naming him directly.

Real Madrid accelerates its ECA comeback with a goodwill gesture

The thaw between Real Madrid and the ECA is now a reality. Anas Laghrari, a trusted associate of Florentino Pérez, attended the Copenhagen meeting, still as a representative of A22, the company behind the Super League project. His presence was seen within UEFA as a positive gesture from the Spanish club, which is getting closer to a definitive return to the club association.

ECA president Nasser Al Khelaifi confirmed the shift in tone towards Real Madrid and its leader in his address. "Real Madrid and Florentino have been disrespected. The president has done a great deal for the club and for Spanish football. I want to thank him, as well as Laporta," he said. Barcelona, with Joan Laporta at the helm, is already back in its seat as a full member of the assembly.

Gil Marín and Laporta stage a truce after the Julián Álvarez storm

The Copenhagen meeting also served as a bridge between Atlético de Madrid and Barcelona. Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, Atlético's chief executive, and Joan Laporta held a warm conversation in an effort to improve relations after the episode involving Julián Álvarez, which had created tension between the two institutions.

Education, manners and respect come before any differences we may have between the two clubs. That has not changed.

Gil Marín summed up the spirit of the meeting with those words, making clear that while differences remain, both clubs are willing to maintain a correct institutional relationship.

The UEFA-FIFA war intensifies in Florida courts

In the corridors of the Assembly, talk had moved on from the return of the Spanish clubs to the new battlegrounds in European football. The main one is the war between UEFA and FIFA. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin launched a broadside at Gianni Infantino without naming him directly. "Enough. Football is not for sale. Football does not need kings and emperors," he declared.

FIFA's response was swift. In a filing submitted to the District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the global governing body accused UEFA of conducting a disinformation campaign in an attempt to influence the FIFA presidential election. FIFA's lawyers described UEFA's conduct as undertaken in bad faith and for harassment purposes.

FIFA maintains that UEFA's request to obtain evidence regarding the failed project to privatize the World Cup was an obvious attempt to evade responsibility for spreading falsehoods to the media, such as claims that FIFA was selling tournaments. The 54-page UEFA filing, according to FIFA, contains numerous false and misleading statements about FIFA and Infantino.

FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafström attended the Copenhagen event and exchanged a handshake with UEFA representatives, but little more. The Assembly did not produce any solutions to the conflict.

UEFA seeks alternative candidate for FIFA presidency elections

UEFA took FIFA's latest legal maneuver in stride in Copenhagen. Its goal remains to find a candidate capable of challenging Gianni Infantino in the elections scheduled for March. Ceferin and his team want that challenger not to be European, so that he can build broader consensus across the confederations and rally support for an alternative to the Swiss executive.

Shortly after FIFA's court filing became known, Nasser Al Khelaifi closed the Assembly by making clear he has no intention of running for the post. The ECA president dismissed any rumors that positioned him as a potential rival to Infantino in the race for football's top job.

Manchester City waits for a court ruling

The other major issue hanging over the ECA Assembly was the possible sanction against Manchester City. The Premier League issued a harsh statement against the club in the final stretch of the meeting, reigniting the debate over financial irregularities that have been under investigation for months.

The ECA, however, prefers to stay on the sidelines for the time being. Al Khelaifi was clear: "You say they cheated, they say they didn't. Let's wait for the justice system to rule." The English club, which has always defended its innocence, remains in limbo ahead of a ruling that will mark a turning point in European football.

The Copenhagen meeting ultimately delivered a mix of reconciliation and simmering tensions. The return of Real Madrid and Barcelona to the ECA is a step towards normalcy, but the UEFA-FIFA power struggle and the Manchester City case are stark reminders that European football is still far from living in peace.