Spanish La Liga has stepped up its attack on English Premier League champions Manchester City and Ligue 1 champions Paris St-Germain by filing a complaint to Uefa about what it believes to be Financial Fair Play breaches.
According to reports, La Liga president Javier Tebas has repeatedly attacked the pair, who he describes as ‘state clubs’, and strongly criticised Ligue 1 champions PSG over the new multi-million-pound contract the French club gave star striker Kylian Mbappe last month.
Since then, Premier League Man City have confirmed the £51.2m signing of Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund. Real Madrid was interested in signing both players. In a statement released by the league, La Liga said: “La Liga understands that the irregular financing of these clubs is carried out, either through direct money injections or through sponsorship and other contracts that do not correspond to market conditions or make economic sense.”
La Liga considers the actions of the two clubs as actions that alter the ecosystem and the sustainability of football, harm all European clubs and leagues, and only serve to artificially inflate the market, with money not generated in football itself.
The complaint against PSG was made last week and the one against Manchester was in April, although the league says it reserves the right to extend these complaints. The two clubs have vigorously defended themselves against Tebas’ complaints in the past.
In July 2020, the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned a two-year-Champions League ban imposed on City by Uefa for Financial Fair Play breaches.
In April, Uefa approved new financial regulations that included a doubling of the sums clubs could lose over three years from 30m to 60m euros, with some clubs allowed an additional 10m euros if they are in ‘good financial health’. Last month Tebas said La Liga would take legal action against PSG after Mbappe snubbed a move to Real Madrid.
Tebas is due to speak about the issue in-depth at a European Leagues meeting in Amsterdam on Thursday.