LONDON — Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus have defended their plans for a European Super League (ESL) in the face of what they call "threats" from Uefa.

They are the only clubs from the initial 12 yet to withdraw from the proposed ESL, and face disciplinary action from Europe's governing body.

The nine other clubs involved, including six Premier League sides, have been given a financial punishment.

"The founding clubs have suffered," a Real, Barca and Juve statement said.

The three clubs say they have faced "unacceptable third-party pressures [and] threats... to abandon the project", which they feel is an effort to have them "desist from their right and duty to provide solutions to the football ecosystem via concrete proposals and constructive dialogue".

"This is intolerable under the rule of law," the joint statement continued.

The ESL was announced on April 18 but within 48 hours the plans had fallen apart, with the English clubs withdrawing after fan protests

MADRID — Rafael Nadal admitted his 6-4, 6-4 loss to Germany's Alexander Zverev in the Madrid Open quarter-finals on Friday was a "step back" but insisted there were plenty of positives as he plots his way to a 14th Roland Garros title.

Nadal has now fallen early in two clay-court Masters tournaments ahead of the Grand Slam in Paris, after going out in the Monte Carlo quarter-finals last month before winning in Barcelona.

Even in Barcelona, however, he needed to save a championship point to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final.

Nadal is hoping to clinch a 14th Roland Garros title and record-setting 21st major in the French capital next month.

"I took steps forward, but when you go up a staircase, there are times when it happens that you take a step back, that's what happened today," said five-time Madrid champion Nadal.

"It's a week where there were a lot of positive things. I'm leaving Madrid with good feelings in general, and the bad one having played a match like today.

"Now, what is the goal before Roland Garros? Go to Rome (for next week's Italian Open) and win, that's all."

Nadal had been hoping to reach the semi-finals of a Masters event for the 75th time.

"I had the match under control at the beginand UK government pressure.

While the furious backlash stopped plans from going ahead, those behind the ESL have maintained it had a sound legal footing. As a result, they were quick to file injunctions to prevent player and club bans after the proposal was made public.

On Friday, the nine that have pulled out — Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, plus AC Milan, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid — said they would "take all steps within their power" to end their involvement in the breakaway league.

Barca, Juve and Real have said they "are ready to reconsider the proposed approach", but reiterated their stance that the structure of elite football in Europe, its appeal to younger generations and the financial pressures facing clubs, need to be addressed.

"We would be highly irresponsible if, being aware of the needs and systemic crisis in the football sector, which led us to announce the Super League, we abandoned such mission to provide effective and sustainable answers to the existential questions that threaten the footning and was playing well for six games, probably playing better than him," said the Spaniard. "Then at 4-2 serving for 5-2, I had a disaster." Nadal continued: "Of course, playing against one of the best players in the world, under these ball industry," they said.

"The material issues that led the 12 founding clubs to announce the Super League weeks ago have not gone away.

"To honour our history, to comply with our obligations towards our stakeholders and fans, for the good of football and for the financial sustainability of the sector, we have the duty to act in a responsible manner and persevere in the pursuit of adequate solutions, despite the unacceptable and ongoing pressures and threats received from Uefa."

The clubs said they "regret to see" the other nine clubs "now found themselves in such inconsistent and contradictory position when signing a number of commitments to Uefa".

The nine clubs who withdrew have agreed to make a combined 15m euro (£13.4m) goodwill contribution to benefit children's and grassroots football across Europe.

They will also have 5% of Uefa competition revenues withheld for one season, starting in 2023-24, and this money will be redistributed, including in the UK. circumstances, with this speed of the court, it's very difficult."

Zverev has beaten Nadal three times in a row but this was his first victory on clay against the world number two.

"It's definitely one of the biggest wins of my career so far, especially on clay against Rafa," Zverev said.

"It is the toughest thing to do in our sport. Beating him in his house, in Spain, is incredible."

Zverev's impressive straights-set win at the Caja Magica earns him a meeting with Dominic Thiem in the semis, in what will be a repeat of last year's US Open final, which was won by Thiem.

After losing to world number eight Andrey Rublev in Monaco, Nadal was convincingly beaten by Zverev and the spotlight will be on the 34-year-old now in Rome next week, his last tournament before heading to Paris.

- Thiem in fourth Madrid semi -

It started well for Nadal when he broke Zverev to love to lead 4-2 in the first set, Zverev serving a double fault to give away the first advantage.

But the world number five immediately hit back and then pulled away, four straight games clinching him the set.

A whipping forehand down the line put Zverev up another break midway through the second and while Nadal resisted more pressure in the seventh game to hold, Zverev served out an impressive victory after an hour and 44 minutes.

MADRID — Zinedine Zidane 'is being seriously considered as a replacement for Andrea Pirlo at Juventus' as his time as Real Madrid manager draws to its natural conclusion.

Real's tame loss to Chelsea in the Champions League semi-finals last week has only heightened speculation the Frenchman will depart in the summer — even though he has one year remaining on his contract.

And reports in Italy suggest that the Juventus club legend could be set for a romantic return to Turin, with Pirlo set to depart his post following a disappointing season.

Real were well beaten at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, losing 2-0 on the night and 3-1 on aggregate as hopes of another Champions League final disappeared. Zidane's side could yet retain their LaLiga title. They are two points behind leaders Atletico Madrid and level on points with Barcelona with four matches left to play.

Zidane, 48, has an exit clause in his Real contract and, according to Italian newspaper Tuttosport, Juventus is an appealing proposition for the next step in his coaching career.The former midfielder played 214 matches for Juventus between 1996 and 2001, scoring 31 goals and winning two Serie A titles as well as reaching two Champions League finals.