Javier Tebas was self-assured as he spoke to reporters at the club’s third annual LALIGA Impulso convention in Tarragona, Spain. During an extensive breakfast with the media, the LALIGA president discussed the benefits of the league’s CVC deal, LALIGA’s role in Europe and the European Super League, speaking with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez about the latter.
The CVC deal, which Tebas says is helping clubs move forward 15 years without the need for public funding, is just one of many topics of contention between the presidents of LALIGA and Real Madrid. Of course, Real Madrid, Athletic Bilbao and FC Barcelona. . . before the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) – filed a lawsuit opposing the personal equity agreement, claiming that it was illegal, contrary to the league’s statutes and that it infringed the rights of the participating clubs. FC Barcelona and the RFEF withdrew from the case, which was dismissed at the end of February by the Spanish courts.
The court’s decision was greeted with a birthday party inside the league’s headquarters. The LALIGA official states that “The ruling confirms the legality of the agreement with CVC, specifying that it complies with the legal and regulatory frameworks in force. It also points out that there has been no violation of LaLiga’s statutes or the regulations applicable to the control and leadership of the audiovisual sector and the economic rights of sports organisations. This implies that the operation has been carried out in compliance with the powers and procedures established by law. and the statutes of La Liga.
But while Athletic Bilbao and, to some extent, FC Barcelona maintain friendly relations with the league and its board, relations between Los Blancos and LALIGA are incredibly cold. Tebas and Perez disagree on many issues, but friction between the league and its top club has been exacerbated since the failed launch of the European Super League in 2021. In his speech at Real Madrid’s Annual General Assembly in 2023, Perez said he would take steps to help the club protect itself from the league, which he said “attacking the club”. monetary wealth. “
“At Real Madrid we very much welcome the decision adopted by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), which is guilty of guaranteeing our principles, values and freedoms. In the next few days we will be conscientiously within the scope of this resolution, but I anticipate two conclusions of wonderful ancient significance.
“First of all, European club football is not and never will be a monopoly. And secondly, that from now on clubs will be masters of their own destiny. In short, the Europe of freedoms has triumphed again and football and its fans have triumphed as well. “
Speaking about the Super League at PortAventura, Tebas agreed in a mocking tone and stated that “the Super League has existed since 2000 with Florentino and the G-14, and it will continue to live”. It was formed in the late 1990s to negotiate with one voice with UEFA and FIFA. It included the top clubs in the five most important European leagues of the time and seriously contemplated the creation of a breakaway league.
But speaking on a more serious note, the president of LALIGA claimed that the CJEU had given the green light to a Super League; it simply claimed that UEFA and FIFA had monopolies that breached EU festival law and that they had to adapt their statutes to comply with festival rules. He further said that even if the Super League were to receive the green light through UEFA, it would be in its current form, which he said “goes against the competitive values of the European Union. “
Tebas admitted that while he doesn’t agree with Perez’s interpretation of the decision, he knows that Perez will never lose the narrative war in Spain, such is his influence. At the same time, he claimed that Florentino Perez “has no influence in Europe. “saying that this is one of the many reasons why the allocation of the Super League has failed so far.
Asked about what would happen if the Super League were to be released, Tebas was blunt and stated that “the domestic leagues would disappear”. He estimated that if the Super League were to debut in the proposed format, broadcasting single matches in midweek, in prime time, LALIGA would lose around 60% of its revenue, would have to reduce broadcasting costs and clubs would not be able to do so. Buy players and compete at an elite level. He pressed that “they don’t perceive the effects that the style they presented would have on the national leagues,” adding: “Florentino doesn’t need a strong league, he needs a league that he can control. “
Ironically, he says his league is the only one leading the rate of opposition to the Super League, even though Spain’s two biggest clubs remain the last two to resist it. He says other leagues and clubs oppose it, but so are they. He was afraid to speak, which he openly opposed.
Without hesitation, he called LALIGA “the ideological leader of European football,” stating that the league’s influence is such that he regularly receives calls from sports and non-sporting organizations across Europe asking for his opinion on conceivable reforms.
Still, there is disorder in the garden of Thebes itself. The two big clubs in LALIGA, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, are still at odds with La Liga and Barça are in a dangerous monetary situation. Tebas believes that if the Catalan club do not after their demand with Libero and get their payment of 40 million euros, they will have to sell a main player this offseason. This further explains why Tebas believes Laporta and company are clinging to the Super League as their potential “lottery ticket”.
Even more worrying is that Real Madrid, the most successful club in Europe and the toughest in Spain, continues to generate controversy through its television channel, RMTV. Tebas sees this as part of Florentino Perez’s quest for control and wonders if RMTV deserves to be. Throughout the 2023-2024 LALiga season, Real Madrid have consistently posted videos criticizing the referees’ performances, creating a constant point of tension around the referees that Tebas says he hasn’t noticed “in ten years. “He notes that the strategic social media strategy used through the club causes content to go viral inorganically, and admits that he is “quite worried. “
At the end of the breakfast with the media, Tebas reiterated his satisfaction with LALIGA’s progress, pointing out that overall attendance records were damaged last season and that TV and streaming audiences are at all-time highs. “It’s not comfortable to face Florentino Perez every day”, but he is still in a position to fight the Super League at each and every opportunity and is willing to introduce a strict law to crack down on illegal streaming, something he says with a laugh means that there are more enthusiasts than officially counted watching LALIGA.