Angry Manchester United players had an emergency briefing with Ed Woodward on Monday morning - with stars 'seriously unimpressed' by the club's role in forming European Super League and finding out about it through the media
* Twelve European clubs announced a new European Super League on Sunday
* Manchester United were one of the Premier League clubs to sign up for format
* Ed Woodward held an emergency briefing with angry United players on Monday
* The Red Devils stars were unimpressed they discovered the plans in the media
Ed Woodward held an emergency briefing with ‘seriously unimpressed’ Manchester United players at Carrington on Monday morning.
Sportsmail understands that some members of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad were angered after they found out about the breakaway European Super League – and their own employer’s central role in it – via the media on Sunday.
Insiders have disclosed that some also felt Solskjaer was thrown under the bus when left to face questions from Sky after the story had broken during their 3-1 victory over Burnley on Sunday.
They made their feelings known and the executive vice chairman delivered a briefing via Zoom to explain the club’s position at their training base.
Sources say the reception among many of the squad was ‘lukewarm at best’.
Woodward, who recently moved to London from Manchester, is said to have told the squad they were acting in the club’s best interests.
Ed Woodward was forced into an emergency meeting with Manchester United players about the Super League plans. A source told Sportsmail the players were angry they found out about the breakaway through the media and not via the club. Twelve European clubs, including United, announced the breakaway tournament on Sunday
‘Some of the players were seriously unimpressed,’ a source explained. ‘Not only that they were left to find out by the media about what had happened but that their manager was left to face the press when the owners had concocted this.
‘Woodward attempted to appease them but the response was lukewarm at best. It hasn’t gone down well with many of them.’
Earlier on Monday, star midfielder Bruno Fernandes reposted a message from compatriot and Wolves man Daniel Podence, who listed a number of Champions League highlights and added ‘There some (sic) things we just can’t really pay for’.
Fernandes wrote: ‘Dreams can’t be (bought)’ along with clapping emojis.
Earlier on Monday, Woodward was eviscerated by UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin for his part in the breakaway of the so-called dirty dozen.
‘I didn't have much contact with him but he called me last Thursday in the evening saying that he's very satisfied with the [Champions League] reforms, that he fully supports the reforms, and that the only thing he would like to speak about is about financial fair play,’ Ceferin said. ‘And obviously he already signed something else.’
The UEFA boss added: ‘We didn’t know we had snakes so close to us.’
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