Spanish stadiums will be back to full capacity by November, insists LaLiga president Javier Tebas… who also insists he’s not worried about Barcelona falling foul of FFP despite star summer signings adding to their huge wage bill
- LaLiga chief Javier Tebas hopes Spanish stadiums can be full again by November
- Spanish stadiums have been empty for a year now because of coronavirus
- Tebas said he wasn’t concerned by Barcelona adding to their bloated wage bill
- Sergio Aguero, Eric Garcia, Gini Wijnaldum and Memphis Depay have all joined
- He played down effect the loss of stars, like Sergio Ramos, may have on a TV deal
The president of LaLiga Javier Tebas believes Spanish stadiums could be back at full capacity by November and that its clubs have successfully ridden out the financial storm caused by the pandemic.
Speaking on Wednesday, he said: ‘I believe we can start the season with 60 per cent capacity. Some areas of Spain will have more, some less. But by November or December we should be at 100 per cent.’
Asked if that would help club’s fix their economies he said: ‘The league is financially healthy,’ adding that he wasn’t concerned by Barcelona adding a flurry of new recruits to an already straining wage bill.
LaLiga chief Javier Tebas hopes Spanish stadiums could be back at full capacity by November
Spanish stadiums have been empty for a year now because of the coronavirus pandemic
‘They know what they are doing,’ Tebas said. ‘This is a long game and they have seen opportunities in the market and taken them. Some clubs recruit and then sell and other sell and then recruit.’
The head of LaLiga also said he was confident the new domestic TV deal would not be agreed at a figure below the last one.
‘I think it will be the same,’ he said of negotiations due to start in September. He also played down the impact the loss of big name players might have on any deal.
LaLiga lost Sergio Ramos at the end of last season but expects to keep Lionel Messi, who is on course to sign a contract to stay a further two years with Barcelona.
That deal will make it more difficult for Barcelona to avoid Spain’s domestic financial fair play rules limiting wage bills.
Tebas said he wasn’t concerned by Barcelona adding new recruits to their bloated wage bill
Tebas also played down the impact the loss of big name players, like Sergio Ramos, might have on any TV deal
Tebas said: ‘LaLiga has its rules and Barca know that. They know that they have to lower their salary costs by a lot.
‘Messi is the same as Sergio Aguero or anyone else that they are adding. We will not make any exception for Messi to stay here.’
In the media conference on Wednesday the Spanish League’s president reiterated his opposition to any break away league, saying: ‘Forming another competition is not the solution’ but he agreed UEFA must increase transparency and he criticised the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and its record of overruling punishments dished out to clubs for breaking financial fair play regulations.
Tebas said: ‘Every day I believe less in CAS. UEFA punish clubs and CAS overrules it.
‘When FIFA punishes clubs CAS overrules it. But not all clubs: Malaga are punished and CAS doesn’t overturn it. Manchester City are punished and CAS overturn its.
‘I don’t know if the solution is to use another court.’
