Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus released a joint statement Wednesday saying they would not bow down to pressure from European football governing body Uefa to put an end to their attempts to launch a breakaway Super League.
The clubs are the only three of the original 12 to have not distanced themselves from the project following fierce criticism from fans, football governing bodies and even governments.
Uefa opened disciplinary proceedings against the three clubs Tuesday but the teams said they rejected the "insistent coercion" the body has maintained while the matter is still in court.
A Madrid court has asked the European Court of Justice to establish if Fifa and Uefa are breaching EU competition law by preventing clubs from creating a breakaway European Super League.
The Super League was launched with 12 clubs as founding members but Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid have since backed out and reached a deal with Uefa.
