Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus face two year Champions League bans

The UEFA Champions League trophy [Courtesy]

European heavyweights Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus are facing two-year bans from the Champions League.

After the failed European Super League, it comes after UEFA launched a formal investigation and disciplinary proceedings into the three clubs.

The trio are the only teams from the original “Dirty Dozen” who have yet to pull out of the ESL - and that could leave them facing a heavy sanction which would also mean the Champions League goes ahead without three of Europe’s biggest clubs.

UEFA are ready to hit them with a two-year ban as the ultimate threat to stop it from happening again and they are also hoping it will persuade Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus to end their stand-off.

Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin is playing hardball after accepting apologies from the other nine clubs including the Premier League ’s Big Six Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham plus Atletico Madrid, AC Milan and Inter.

However, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has been defiant and is refusing to back down, taking the case to court to try and reduce UEFA’s powers while Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli was also one of the driving forces in the ESL.

UEFA issued a statement which read: “In accordance with Article 31(4) of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations, UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors have today been appointed to conduct a disciplinary investigation regarding a potential violation of UEFA’s legal framework by Real Madrid CF, FC Barcelona and Juventus FC in connection with the so-called ‘Super League’ project.

“Further information regarding this matter will be made available in due course.”

The other nine clubs have already been hit with fines as each of them will have to pay £1.44m up front and then five per cent of their next season’s Uefa competition earnings which could reach around £7m.