In a direct appeal to the owners of the English clubs in the Super League project, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin urged them Tuesday to change their minds out of respect for soccer fans. Ceferin both cajoled and criticized the six-club English group made up of American billionaires, Middle East royalty and a Russian oligarch less than 48 hours after the Super League was launched in alliance with three clubs from each of Italy and Spain.

"Gentlemen, you made a huge mistake," Ceferin said in a speech to European soccer leaders at the UEFA annual meeting. "Some will say it is greed, others (will say) disdain arrogance, flippancy or complete ignorance of England's football culture. It does not matter. "What does matter is that there is still time to change your mind. Everyone makes mistakes." Ceferin urged them to turn back out of respect for fans in England, aiming another barb at what he earlier called "a few selfish people." "Come to your senses," he said.