Following the cancellation of Villarreal-Barcelona, La Liga president Javier Tebas issued a statement taking aim at Real Madrid: “‘Integrity of the competition’ is invoked by those who have spent years questioning that same integrity, pressuring referees, rulers…”.
The reaction of La Liga president Javier Tebas following the cancellation of Villarreal-Barcelona in Miami, was swift. The chief took to social media to highlight what for him is “a missed opportunity” and launch a counter-attack which, without directly naming them, aimed at Real Madrid.
“‘Integrity of the competition’ is invoked by those who have spent years questioning that same integrity, pressuring referees, rulers, constructing distorted narratives or using political and media pressure as a sporting tool,” wrote Tebas, whose disagreements with Florentino Perez have been well-known for some time.
He also had a message for UEFA and its leaders in his defence of La Liga’s interests: “The defence of ‘tradition’ is invoked from a closed and narrow-minded vision, while the true traditions of European football are threatened by decisions of the institutions that govern it, which year after year destroy the national leagues, the true engine of the football industry in Europe, in the face of the naivety and passivity of European rulers who cannot distinguish the insignificant from the essential.”
Furthermore, the head of the employers’ association assured that he is by no means giving up after this setback to the competition’s interests: “Spanish football deserves to look to the future with ambition, not with fear. We will keep trying. This time, we were very close.”
Full statement from Javier Tebas:
A MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR SPANISH FOOTBALL
“Today, Spanish football has lost an opportunity to advance, project itself to the world and strengthen its future. The defence of ‘tradition’ is invoked from a closed and narrow-minded vision, while the true traditions of European football are threatened by decisions of the institutions that govern it, which year after year destroy the national leagues, the true engine of the football industry in Europe, in the face of the naivety and passivity of European rulers who cannot distinguish the insignificant from the essential.
‘Integrity of the competition’ is invoked by those who have spent years questioning that same integrity, pressuring referees, rulers, constructing distorted narratives or using political and media pressure as a sporting tool. And others, perhaps unknowingly and in good faith, have been dragged into debates about information that was already addressed in 2018, where that supposed ‘information’ – which they had then and now too – was just an excuse to end the project.
I want to thank Villarreal and Barcelona for their commitment and generosity in being part of a project that only sought the growth of our competition. They weren’t thinking about themselves, they were thinking about everyone. LaLiga will continue to work, rigorously and with conviction, so that Spanish football remains competitive, facing those who seek to destroy it, but always with respect for its roots and ensuring its sustainability. Spanish football deserves to look to the future with ambition, not with fear. We will keep trying. This time, we were very close.”