Livescore
Javier Tebas, president of LaLiga, appeared together with Javier Gomez, corporate general director and head of economic control, after announcing the new salary limits for LaLiga Santander and LaLiga Smartbank clubs after the winter transfer window.
Both answered questions and gave explanations regarding the situations of individual teams. They also talked about the Enriquez Negreira Case, which has the clubs worried.
“The issue has been discussed. There is deep concern in most of the clubs, including Barcelona, about the Negreira case, about the amount of the payments and the duration of the contracts,” Tebas declared.
“There is deep concern about the damage being done to Spanish football. I have explained what the league is going to do. Among other things I have written to the Public Prosecutor’s Office with some information that can help the investigation of the Public Prosecutor’s Office. If there had been no sporting statute of limitations, we would have opened a disciplinary case without a doubt.
“If the Public Prosecutor’s Office considers that there is no cause, we believe that there is enough for a complaint to be filed in order to continue investigating. What is missing is what Barcelona are doing. With what we know, we must continue investigating.
“I said this in Barcelona the other day and I repeat it again. It is what the clubs have discussed and it is what they want. I see the notes as more cosmetic. I am tired of notes. The indications are that we have to investigate”.
Joan Laporta has been swept up in this case, and Tebas was asked point-blank whether the current Barcelona president should resign from his post.
“If he doesn’t explain well why he was paid, I think he should [resign]. He has not given a reasonable explanation for these payments. In the note that Barcelona issued it seemed that this was done by all football clubs,” he continued.
“It is one thing if you have ex-referees and another if you have ex-referees who are also on the Technical Committee of Referees. This is an issue that I would like to see clarified. The time that this has been going on is not three seasons, but many seasons. Also with many directives, who didn’t talk to each other.
“I don’t like it at all.”
Atletico Madrid wanted to issue a statement
One of the Spanish clubs who have been most vocal in their complaints against what Barcelona have been involved with has been Atletico Madrid.
Los Colchoneros weren’t necessarily in direct competition with the Blaugrana during Laporta‘s first term in charge, but they feel the issue must be investigated.
“What happened exactly is that Atletico wanted to issue a statement, and then Barcelona expressed their concern…. Whoever took a side is because they had to ask higher up and couldn’t decide. We are going to treat it the same way and we are going to raise it the same way,” he declared.
“There is a very clear issue, I am not going to hide behind the clubs on this issue. LaLiga has established a very clear strategy of pursuing sporting corruption. As for their statement, one club had to ask permission and the other is in a complicated situation and it would be better for the president to come and say how the debate went.
“Yes, there is some discomfort because it has been said that all the clubs were doing this practice.”
Up to this point this issue has been confined largely to Spanish football, although there would be a chance LaLiga Santander could turn to UEFA or FIFA for assistance if things get any worse.
“If we believe that UEFA and FIFA have to go into this, we will issue the corresponding complaint. I have been saying this since the second day. I wanted more data and more context,” he added.
“We don’t expect people to hand themselves in. Especially in these matters where there are indications of corruption. We have always been active. We have denounced City, Juventus, PSG… it is clear that we have the desire to do something.
“If the statute of limitations has expired here, we will go to the places where it has not. I find them serious and difficult to understand.”
Barcelona will face new financial controls in 2023
Mateu Alemany said that Barcelona expect to have between 450 and 470 million euros in wage bill in the summer, but Javier Gomez was questioned as to whether this would satisfy the league.
“That 450 or 470 million is in line with the cost of the first team squad. The non-registrable squad is also 108 million euros,” Gomez explained.
“With the information given by Barcelona, we have an idea that has to be corroborated by the club. You are going to have the stadium closed if you lose X-amount, the president himself said 93 million euros.
“You have that staff cost, you have had 40 million from television that you no longer have, you have to take into account that there are losses from COVID that were not taken into account…..
“Revenues with a logic and based on what the club said, minus the expenses…. Mateu said that amount, plus the hundred and some of the non-registrable squad, the structural costs and by the end, you get to the fact that you are missing more than 200 million, including Griezmann and Pique.”
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