State aid to Madrid, Barcelona issue resolved soon
The European Competition Commission is investigating Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao, Osasuna, Valencia, Hércules and Elche.
Margrethe Vestager, the European Competition Commissioner, has announced that the investigation into seven Spanish clubs, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao, Osasuna, Valencia, Hércules and Elche, for possibly receiving state aid, will be finalised in the next few months.
Osasuna are also at the centre of match-fixing allegations in Spain where a magistrate is investigating whether they made payments to Espanyol and Real Betis, also what has happened to £1.72 million (US$2.73m - AUS$3.51m - €2.4m) withdrawn from club accounts in cash.
Barcelona are under a transfer embargo, that strangely still allows them to buy players, until January for breaching rules regarding the signing of inder-age players and Real Madrid have also been under investigation for similar alleged offences. Neymar and the Barcelona president are also under investigation in Spain over his transfer from Brazil.
All is not ship shape in Spain, the EU refused to give Spain money as football clubs weren't paying their tax bills or bank loans back. This investigation is into that issue. In an interview circulated by Danish think-tank Mandag Morgen (Monday Morning), Vestager revealed a decision will be reached soon.
The European Commission opened an investigation in December 2013 to determine if tax advantages, cheap bank loans and real estate deals all of which benefited the Spanish clubs, were in fact illegal state aid.
The investigation is also looking at the operations of Athletic Bilbao, Osasuna, Valencia, Hércules and Elche. Richard Craven, state aid expert, told Mandag Morgen that the signs appeared to indicate the clubs would be obliged to return monies received.
Real Madrid and Barcelona get the majority of TV money in Spain and broadcaster beIN Sports have let it be known ahead of the next round of broadcasting negotiations, that are willing to pay €250m extra to show one of their games every week. The TV rights packages are due for renewal after the recently passed Royal Decree governing their centralised sale.
beIN Sports, owned by Qatari news network Al Jazeera, want to screen 20 Barcelona and Real Madrid games each throughout the season, with 6.15 Saturday kick-off times for the English market. Barcelona and Real Madrid have rather a monopoly on broadcasting revenue at the moment, it isn't split among the clubs in the way it is in the Premier League.
Further Reading
7 Spanish influenced managers in the Premier League now
Espanyol, Real Betis, Osasuna embroiled in match-fixing scandal
Margrethe Vestager, the European Competition Commissioner, has announced that the investigation into seven Spanish clubs, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao, Osasuna, Valencia, Hércules and Elche, for possibly receiving state aid, will be finalised in the next few months.
Osasuna are also at the centre of match-fixing allegations in Spain where a magistrate is investigating whether they made payments to Espanyol and Real Betis, also what has happened to £1.72 million (US$2.73m - AUS$3.51m - €2.4m) withdrawn from club accounts in cash.
Barcelona are under a transfer embargo, that strangely still allows them to buy players, until January for breaching rules regarding the signing of inder-age players and Real Madrid have also been under investigation for similar alleged offences. Neymar and the Barcelona president are also under investigation in Spain over his transfer from Brazil.
All is not ship shape in Spain, the EU refused to give Spain money as football clubs weren't paying their tax bills or bank loans back. This investigation is into that issue. In an interview circulated by Danish think-tank Mandag Morgen (Monday Morning), Vestager revealed a decision will be reached soon.
“The ruling will come at the end of the summer or the start of the autumn.”
The European Commission opened an investigation in December 2013 to determine if tax advantages, cheap bank loans and real estate deals all of which benefited the Spanish clubs, were in fact illegal state aid.
The investigation is also looking at the operations of Athletic Bilbao, Osasuna, Valencia, Hércules and Elche. Richard Craven, state aid expert, told Mandag Morgen that the signs appeared to indicate the clubs would be obliged to return monies received.
Real Madrid and Barcelona get the majority of TV money in Spain and broadcaster beIN Sports have let it be known ahead of the next round of broadcasting negotiations, that are willing to pay €250m extra to show one of their games every week. The TV rights packages are due for renewal after the recently passed Royal Decree governing their centralised sale.
beIN Sports, owned by Qatari news network Al Jazeera, want to screen 20 Barcelona and Real Madrid games each throughout the season, with 6.15 Saturday kick-off times for the English market. Barcelona and Real Madrid have rather a monopoly on broadcasting revenue at the moment, it isn't split among the clubs in the way it is in the Premier League.
Further Reading
7 Spanish influenced managers in the Premier League now
Espanyol, Real Betis, Osasuna embroiled in match-fixing scandal
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