Latest news with #JavierTebas
Al Arabiya
26-05-2025
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Javier Tebas: Saudi Pro League growing fast, but not LaLiga competitor yet
The Saudi Pro League 's rise is definitely on LaLiga President Javier Tebas' radar. In an exclusive interview with Al Arabiya English, Tebas praised Saudi Arabia's ambitious football strategy as it transformed the competition into a global product – led by stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema who joined Al Nassr and Al Ittihad respectively in 2023. Al Nassr captain Ronaldo has repeatedly gone on record saying that he believes the Saudi Pro League can become one of the world's best domestic competitions. But Tebas insists that despite the Pro League's recent gains, LaLiga does not yet feel that its Saudi counterpart is a major competitor. For more Saudi sports news, visit our dedicated page. Asked if he sees the Saudi Pro League as a threat to LaLiga, Tebas said: 'Currently, no. I speak a lot with the Saudi Pro League, and they are convinced that they can create a great competition.' Tebas noted that the Saudi Pro League's transfer strategy has shifted dramatically from the summer of 2023 to now. The league initially made a splash by attracting a raft of global superstars. 'They used an initial strategy of growing with big stars but they're no longer following at the same level as they've realized they have to adapt the strategy if they want a great competition. It doesn't always depend on injecting money,' he said. He added that clubs are now considering longer-term, more sustainable models. 'In fact, they are also now thinking about how to attract fund investors into the clubs. Of course, if the [fund investors] want to invest, it will not be to lose money.' Saudi Pro League focus on rising stars The Saudi Pro League's clubs have generally switched their attention to younger players and those closer to their peak. Many of those have come from LaLiga. Talented young Spanish midfielders Gabri Veiga (Al Ahli) and Unai Hernandez (Al Ittihad) moved from Celta Vigo and Barcelona respectively, while Al Qadsiah has been competing at the top end of the table this season after its defense was bolstered by the arrivals of Gaston Alvarez from Getafe and Nacho Fernandez from Real Madrid. Other notable transfers from Spain have included Franck Kessie (Barcelona to Al Ahli), Yanick Carrasco (Atletico Madrid to Al Shabab), Bono (Sevilla to Al Hilal) and Alex Collado (Real Betis to Al Kholood). But while several ex-LaLiga youngsters are lighting up the Pro League at present, Tebas said he won't be concerned until the numbers increase to a level that seems more akin to an exodus. 'Let's see [what happens],' Tebas said. 'They've also gone after young players from the Premier League. It's not a massive issue, it's an occasional case. If it were continuous, I would say something else. But I don't see that. This is the path the players decided to take.' Spain, Saudi football bonds The football bonds between Spain and Saudi Arabia go back quite a bit. The Spanish Supercopa has been played in the Kingdom for five of its past six editions, but the relationship began before that when, in 2018, LaLiga and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) signed a deal to take players from the Kingdom to Spain. It meant valuable development opportunities for the likes of Fahad al-Muwallad at Levante and Salem al-Dawsari at Villarreal. Al-Dawsari has gone on to become captain of both Al Hilal and the Saudi national team and is widely regarded as the best Saudi player of his generation. The 2024-25 AFC Champions League Golden Boot winner was unquestionably aided by a formative experience in Spain. The Saudi-Spanish exchange was short-lived but Tebas is open to rekindling that particular strand of the relationship. 'We collaborate a lot with the Saudi Pro League in everything that helps develop their football industry,' Tebas said. 'If we find a path again for players, we will. We know that one issue that often happens in these countries is that they need more local idols. This is football life.' Football challenges The Spanish football chief feels that Saudi Arabia's biggest challenges are to enhance the quality of the teams lower down the Pro League table – beyond the PIF-owned quartet of Al Ittihad, Al Hilal, Al Ahli and Al Nassr, as well as Aramco-backed Al Qadsiah – and to build toward bigger attendance figures at matches. 'If you want a great competition, it's not only built with great players and constantly injecting money. They are on the path not only of signing big players but of having a competition where not just two teams compete. They need to have many more,' he said. 'If we analyze the Saudi Pro League… globally, there are still not enough competitive clubs. You have to create a great competition like the big leagues – LaLiga, the Premier League, Bundesliga,' he said. According to Tebas, this also includes high attendance at football stadiums, 'millions over the course of a season.' He acknowledged that the Kingdom is 'working on the creation or improvement of stadiums, on increasing stadium attendance, better audiovisual experiences to generate their own resources, and also on internationalization.' He concluded, 'That's what they want to build, and they know that players alone won't achieve it.'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
European Commission drops Tebas case against Man City and PSG over state funding
Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain will not face any action following accusations they breached EU competition law by receiving unfair state backing, per The Guardian. La Liga president Javier Tebas filed the complaint in July 2023, alleging both clubs benefited from foreign subsidies through state-linked entities in Abu Dhabi and Qatar. According to Tebas, this allowed City and PSG to distort the market by overspending on players and coaches and securing inflated sponsorship deals with no fair market value. However, The Guardian reports that the European Commission will not launch a formal investigation after the preliminary review. They deemed the evidence submitted insufficient to meet the threshold required under the EU's foreign subsidies regulation, which came into force in 2023. While it could have been a potential test case, linking commercial partnerships to state subsidies (inexplicably) did not constitute grounds for a deeper probe. Man City and PSG had denied the claims, arguing their finances were fully compliant and independently audited. Club officials dismissed Tebas's actions as part of a long-standing campaign against them, driven by resentment over their success and financial might. Tebas has always been outspoken against clubs he feels have an unfair advantage in the transfer market due to their financial might. His tenure as La Liga boss has involved strict rules to curb excessive spending. Everyone knows Man City and PSG are state-funded projects. They are vehicles of soft power for Abu Dhabi and Qatar, but authorities tiptoed around this reality. The Premier League raised concerns when City Football Group took control in 2008, but did nothing. Meanwhile, Ligue 1 welcomed PSG's Qatari billions as a lifeline. Now, Europe's top competition watchdog has done the same. Acknowledge the smoke and ignore the fire. Due to political sensitivity, legal complexity, or sheer reluctance to take on sovereign wealth, football authorities are looking away rather than confronting the state power staining the beautiful game.
The Guardian
15-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Manchester City and PSG to face no action over competition breach allegations
Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain will face no action from the European Commission after allegations they breached EU competition law. La Liga's president, Javier Tebas, filed complaints about the clubs' alleged use of state resources under the EU's foreign subsidies regulation. Tebas alleged in his submission in July 2023 that City and PSG receive resources under non-market conditions from the governments of Abu Dhabi and Qatar respectively, disrupting markets by enabling them to spend more than their rivals on players and coaches, and that the clubs obtain sponsorship income at levels that do not align with fair market value. The clubs denied the allegations and pointed to their accounts as proof of no wrongdoing. They also claimed Tebas had a history of attacking them owing to envy of their success and financial resources. Sources with knowledge of the commission's preliminary assessment of Tebas's complaints have indicated a formal investigation will not take place. The commission has limited resources to allocate to investigations. One source in Brussels said it tended to take up complaints that have the potential to develop into test cases with significant implications across different sectors. Although elite clubs breaking European football rules would fit that, the Guardian has been told La Liga's submission provided insufficient evidence of rule breaking. Linking City's and PSG's commercial deals with companies related to the Abu Dhabi and Qatar governments to state subsidy regulations is not enough to meet the investigatory threshold, a source said. The cost of investigating City and PSG, and the resources both clubs could commit to defending themselves, may be other factors in the commission's thinking. The Premier League spent three years investigating alleged breaches of its financial fair play rules by City before issuing more than 130 charges against them in February 2023. An independent commission heard what promises to be a seismic case last autumn, but more than five years since the start of the investigation the verdict has not been delivered. City have denied wrongdoing. The commission declined to comment beyond a statement it issued in February, when it confirmed it was assessing submissions regarding football clubs. 'The commission may examine information regarding any alleged foreign subsidies distorting the internal market, in any economic sector, including sports,' it said. 'However, the commission cannot comment on ongoing assessments.' Tebas caused outrage at City in February when he compared their financial management to that of the disgraced US energy company Enron, which was responsible for one of the biggest corporate bankruptcies after widespread fraud in 2001. Club sources strongly rejected his claims but City have not responded publicly. Tebas said at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit in February: 'City have a lot of companies in their group which lie outside the City Football Group structure, extra companies where they put their expenses. These other companies lose the money but not the club itself. We have reported them to the European Union [sic]. We have the facts and figures.' Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion City, PSG and La Liga declined to comment.
United News of India
10-05-2025
- Sport
- United News of India
FanCode makes partnership with LALIGA
Mumbai, May 10 (UNI) FanCode, country's premier sports destination, has entered into a five-year partnership with LA LIGA to exclusively broadcast LA LIGA EA Sports and LA LIGA Hypermotion for India. FanCode will also be streaming the remaining matches for the current season, including this weekend's hotly anticipated ELCLÁSICO between Real Madrid and Barcelona. The title race is set for an exciting finish with both Real Madrid and FC Barcelona in contention, and the upcoming ELCLÁSICO could be decisive. The battle for European spots and relegation will also go down to the last game of the season. Starting from next season, FanCode will provide football fans in India with comprehensive coverage of LALIGA events, including live coverage of every one of the 380 top-flight games alongside live action from LALIGA Hypermotion. FanCode will ensure that all fans in India have a seamless, uninterrupted access to all the action at their convenience. LALIGA will be available on FanCode's mobile app (Android & iOS), TV app (Android TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Jio STB, Samsung TV, LG TV) and on web at with all matches streamed in HD. LALIGA, the most followed football leagues in India, with top clubs like Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Valencia CF, and Sevilla FC enjoying widespread popularity. The league has a long-standing commitment to the Indian market and was among the first European leagues to set up a local office. Clubs like Girona FC and Athletic Club Bilbao have also grown their fan base in the country in recent years. On the partnership, Javier Tebas, President of LALIGA, said, 'We are delighted to have FanCode partner with us for the Indian market. At LALIGA we always look for best-in-class partners to deliver Spanish football to fans everywhere. FanCode brings strong local expertise and shares our passion for growing the league's reach. We look forward to working together over the next five years to bring the best of Spanish football to fans in India.' Yannick Colaco, Co-Founder of FanCode, said'We've seen first-hand the incredible fan following that LALIGA commands in India. With top-tier clubs and world-class players on display, fans can expect high-quality football week in, week out. Our 360-degree approach will ensure a seamless experience across all touchpoints — be it live streaming, engaging with fans to build a strong community or taking the league to new fans. We're excited to work closely with LALIGA to grow the league's popularity in India.' UNI JS-NV BM
Times
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Times
Real Madrid's nefarious attacks on referees part of Super League plan
Anything that is not stopped is encouraged, and nobody in Spanish football has been brave enough to stop Real Madrid for too long now. Not Javier Tebas, the talkative head of La Liga, not the Spanish football federation (RFEF), whose showpiece match, the Copa del Rey final, was besmirched at the weekend. Real Madrid had soured the preamble with slurs and conspiracy theories, and what unfolded was the product. Antonio Rüdiger dismissed for aiming an icy missile at the referee, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea; Lucas Vázquez sent off for invading the pitch in protest; Jude Bellingham dismissed for further dissent in the closing minutes of the 3-2 defeat by Barcelona. What a shower they are. Yet this has been coming. It has been coming all season as Madrid continue to perpetuate their bogus tales of bias and injustice. Even Carlo Ancelotti is not immune to it now. Madrid's saving grace, a calm and dignified presence on the touchline, he too was booked in the final, because everyone at the club has to buy into the ludicrous notion that the world is against them. Witness the boycott of last year's Ballon d'Or award ceremony, because the judges had the temerity to select Rodri ahead of Vinícius Jr. The most contemptible development of all came on the eve of the game, after a crisis that was entirely provoked by the club. Real were trying to get the match officials changed, amid speculation they would not play at all. And that should have been the end of it. Instead of a 40-minute conversation with the Real director general, José Ángel Sánchez, the RFEF president, Rafael Louzán, should have issued the ultimate sanction. Real had tried to unfairly influence the outcome of the match by putting undue pressure on the officials — so Real should be gone. Let them explain it to their fans, already in Seville before the fixture. Let them explain it to their players, denied what may be their last shot at glory this season, with Barcelona in control at the top of La Liga. All season, Real Madrid's television network has been releasing videos calling into question the integrity of referees. The one released before the final about De Burgos Bengoetxea had reduced him to tears at a press conference. At that point, the authorities should have acted. Not because of the crying, but for what those tears represented. The overwhelming pressure to steer the game Real's way. To give them a penalty, to overlook their misdemeanours. It is increasingly impossible not to read an even deeper cynicism into this nefarious campaign. Real need to justify their continued drive for an exclusive Super League. What better validation than the falsehood they cannot get a fair game in the existing competitions? That the federation, the league, and Uefa are influencing referees to conspire against them? A club who consistently get their own way playing the victim, the underdog. The club of General Franco and royalty. Poor little Real Madrid. If Tebas was as interested in Spanish football as he is in poking his nose into business over here, he would have acted earlier in the season. Say what you like about the Premier League, but no club would be able to replicate the slanderous insinuations of RMTV. Referees make mistakes and can be criticised for them — that is free speech. Yet there are protocols here that stop a manager or club from so much as discussing the merits of an official prior to the match. Ancelotti and Sir Alex Ferguson were warned for actually praising Howard Webb before Chelsea played Manchester United in 2011. What Madrid did to De Burgos Bengoetxea, by comparison, was scandalous, and should have been enough to merit expulsion. A line has to be drawn. So, in some ways, the Copa del Rey got the final it deserved. An embarrassment, a travesty. There is talk referees in Spain could strike if this continues. In a country beset by blackouts, this would be a darkness that felt somehow deserved. No need for show when addressing Gakpo's vest Why on earth would the FA wish to pursue Cody Gakpo further over the message 'I belong to Jesus' written on the vest he revealed after scoring for Liverpool against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday? He has already been booked for taking his shirt off — the saviour being no match for nitpicking rules around what is appropriate behaviour on the football field — and no doubt his club will advise against repeat performances. The FA could have a quiet word, too, explaining that proselytising may have unimagined consequences and is therefore not encouraged, and that action will have to be taken if it continues. As this was an isolated incident, however, why use a hammer to crack a nut? It is not as if English football does not do religion. The FA Cup final even has its own hymn, Abide With Me, sung before kick-off. Mohamed Salah 's goal celebrations often include a religious gesture. Charging Gakpo would merely plunge the organisation into the culture wars and be seized upon by the usual opportunists. Anything that needs to be said can be kept private and, much like Gakpo's vest, there is really no need for show. Response to Aluko's latest claims speaks volumes When the cyclist Jess Varnish made a complaint of bullying against her coach Shane Sutton, she received widespread support from her peers. It was not the same when Eni Aluko delivered an eight-page letter of complaint against the England women's coach Mark Sampson. There was, at the time, a rather deafening silence from her team-mates. Sampson eventually lost his job after a revelation of inappropriate past behaviour, but not before he had taken charge of a match against Russia. When Nikita Parris scored England's first goal, the entire team ran to Sampson to celebrate. There have been recriminations and apologies since, and Aluko was vindicated in some of what she said. Yet it is intriguing that after her criticism of Ian Wright she once again does not appear to be commanding the popular vote. Aluko has said sorry after accusing him of hogging female space on punditry panels, but Wright refused to accept her apology. His social media post was liked by the present England internationals Alessia Russo, Mary Earps, Lauren Hemp, Alex Greenwood, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Esme Morgan, plus notable figures including Sam Kerr, Jordan Nobbs, Katie McCabe and Izzy Christiansen. Inescapably, a pattern exists. Level on titles, but Amorim's side far behind Liverpool on pitch Liverpool and Manchester United are now tied on 20 titles each but, as an indication of the task facing Ruben Amorim, if Arne Slot's Liverpool had simply stopped playing after beating Tottenham Hotspur 6-3 on December 22 this season, they would still be ahead of United in the table. They could have turned it in after the 3-0 win over Bournemouth on September 21 and still been up on Southampton, mind. Officials changed game by showing red card for slip If Evanilson's red card is not rescinded we must conclude there genuinely is nobody at Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) who understands football. We can already make that assumption of Peter Bankes and John Brooks. It was Brooks who, as VAR, saw the Bournemouth man very obviously slip as he went in to make a tackle on Manchester United's Noussair Mazraoui, yet summoned Bankes to the monitor to consider upgrading it to a straight red card offence; and it was Bankes who, as referee, saw clear evidence that this was an unfortunate mishap, yet changed his yellow to red. Manchester United had more shots at goal than in any other league game under Amorim but 15 of the 25 — including the 96th-minute equaliser — came after the 70th minute, when Evanilson was dismissed. Brooks and Bankes, not United, changed the game. Martínez must stop making himself centre of attention Since making himself the centre of attention when Aston Villa played Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals, it is hard to think of a good game Emiliano Martínez has played for his club. The spotlight is already on goalkeepers without making it brighter. Kepa Arrizabalaga's Chelsea career never completely recovered from that dreadful show at Wembley in 2019, when he refused to be substituted before the penalty shoot-out in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City. Arrizabalaga, like Martínez, is clearly a very talented goalkeeper, as his displays for Bournemouth this season confirm, but he was not the same for Chelsea after and struggled to keep his place in the team. Martínez is not there yet but this is far from his best season, with save percentage numbers placing him 15th among Premier League goalkeepers. There is also a metric for expected saves and Martínez sits 16th with a PSxG of -1.8. It is not that Villa need a new goalkeeper, but perhaps they need more than just Robin Olsen to put pressure on him; and Martínez needs to be less of the story. FA Cup semi-finals have diluted romance of Wembley The sight of an entirely empty section of Manchester City's end for their FA Cup semi-final with Nottingham Forest should cause concern, and a discussion, within the FA. Is it time to revert to semi-finals at neutral club venues, and keep Wembley sacred? There was a time when a visit to the capital for a big match would have meant everything to City's fans. Not any more. This was their seventh consecutive FA Cup semi-final and their 28th Wembley fixture in 14 years. Win the final next month and it will be 30 in August, for the Community Shield. And Wembley's expensive, from Manchester. The tickets, the travel, sustenance over a long day, a conservative cost estimate for those 28 games would be pushing £6,000. The magic has probably gone now. TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER MARC ASPLAND Against that, most regulars can get tickets. The one advantage of semi-finals at Wembley is supply. Had City and Forest played at Villa Park, with its capacity of 42,918, some loyal fans would have missed out, as always happened. If the FA reverted to some of the grounds that once housed semi-finals, after an initial welcome would come an inevitable backlash as clubs burn through their reduced allocation. Yet, undoubtedly, a conversation is required. Wembley should be special and Sunday's game did not feel that way. Equally, the romantic idea of Wembley as a destination has been eroded. After a fabulous win over Aston Villa, Crystal Palace are now going to Wembley for the first time in nine years — except they were actually there last Saturday. Could that match not have been just as ably accommodated at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, or the Emirates? When the FA first moved semi-finals to Wembley it was out of economic necessity. The stadium needed to be paid for, so had to be used as much as possible. The England team stopped travelling around the country for much the same reason. The stadium now fully financed, this is wholly a commercial decision. Is it still necessary? Those empty seats suggest not.
