La Liga president Javier Tebas appeared alongside Javier Gomez. the general director and the head of economic control, offering their thoughts on various subjects including the controversy surrounding Barcelona’s payment to Enriquez Negreira, the former VP of the Referees Committee.
“Barcelona have not been clear about the ‘Negreira case’. They have not explained anything. If Laporta does not explain, he should resign,” Tebas said (h/t Goal), responding to recent accusations against Barcelona, who had paid a seven-figure bill to a company part-owned by Enriquez Negreira, a long-time vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees.
Barcelona have remained prudently silent over the issue for now, with the officials tip-toeing around the topic. They have launched an outsourced investigation to make the process neutral and objective.
Tebas also went on to comment on the state of the Premier League, suggesting that the financial model of the English top flight is ruining European football.
“The Premier League is destabilising European football. They are the Super Debt League. In audiovisual revenues, Barça and Madrid would be third or fourth in the PL. We are looking for a stable business system, not like them,” he said.
“The commercial demand of the Premier League has not changed in recent years. The big difference is that they have a large number of owners who are driving the clubs to losses. La Liga clubs have lost €250m, PL clubs have lost €2 billion,” he added.
Tebas added that if similar economic policies are applied in La Liga, the league would lose its traditional values and would become an asset for billionaires across the globe, effectively eliminating the idea of fan and democratic ownership.
“If we want the model of owners spending and indebting their clubs, like those in the Premier League, then we would jeopardise the organisational model of Barcelona, Real Madrid or Athletic Club, who do not have owners,” he said.
The La Liga president went on to comment on Barcelona’s economic situation as well. When asked about comparisons with Juventus’ situation, Tebas said Barça are in a better place, but they might not be in the near future.
“For now I would say Juventus, because they have already been sanctioned, but in the future I think Barça’s situation will be worse than Juventus’ situation,” Tebas said.
“It [Barça’s wage bill] has to reduce about €200 million. The figure of €200 million is based on the information provided by FC Barcelona itself. President Laporta himself spoke of losses of €93 million in losses due to the move to Montjuïc. Staff costs, COVID which was not calculated.”
