Exclusive: Rival club unions lock horns in extraordinary war of words

Katarina Pijetlovic, the general secretary of the Union of European Clubs (UEC), has criticized the European Club Association (ECA) for being a "plutocracy" that serves only its elite members.

ECA hits back, calling accusing the new union of being controlled by “increasingly extremist individuals” and claims UEC is “focused on destabilising not just ECA but also UEFA and the entire governance framework of European Club Football.”

Why it matters: A forthcoming 13-page UEC document titled "Whose interests does ECA really represent?" outlines the historical biases and conflicts of interest that it accuses ECA of perpetuating.

The perspective: The document also alleges that the ECA's status as the "sole representative" of European football clubs may be illegal. ECA says it is “entirely legal and sensible to try to keep the pyramid together and pre-empt breakaway efforts.”