The Italian Soccer League said yesterday that it will call a "time out" before discussing a project backed by Media Partners and JP Morgan to create a pan-European Super League.

Meanwhile, in a separate development, European Union competition chief Mr Karel van Miert said he would take a close look at whether plans for any breakaway Super League complied with EU law.

Mr van Miert has met Media Partners, the Milan-based company behind the project, and Europe's soccer governing body, UEFA, which opposes the plan and has asked him to scrutinise it.