Barcelona and Real Madrid reject LaLiga's "urgent" meeting in Dubai

Barcelona and Real Madrid reject LaLiga's "urgent" meeting in Dubai

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The two clubs both put out statements on Wednesday afternoon

Barcelona and Real Madrid have both announced they will not attend a meeting called by LaLiga in Dubai next week, as first reported by SPORT earlier on Wednesday.

LaLiga have called an "urgent" general meeting for Dec. 7 but Barça and Madrid questioned the notice given to the clubs to deal with such matters and the travel involved.

Barça said:

"FC Barcelona announces that it will not be attending the Extraordinary General Assembly called by La Liga in Dubai next week, described as 'of an urgent nature' to all the clubs involved. 

"In the aforementioned Extraordinary General Assembly extremely relevant business is on the agenda concerning the modification of Statutes and General Regulations of La Liga that requires prior debate and a more extensive and participatory analysis to come to the best consensus that such a wide-ranging reform deserves. 

"FC Barcelona’s position has always been that of reaching consensual agreements after having examined the issue coherently and respecting all positions. 

"For that reason, we do not believe it is the right time to travel to Dubai for an event that could well take place at LaLiga’s headquarters and once again we show our opposition to any form of action that we consider damaging to the rights and interests of FC Barcelona."

Real Madrid respond

As for Madrid, they said:

"In response to the call to hold a LaLiga Extraordinary General Assembly on 7 December in Dubai, Real Madrid C. F. states the following:

"- The notice to hold the Extraordinary General Assembly was issued last Friday 25 November to be held "as a matter of urgency" on 7 December in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with the aim of addressing several important modifications to the statutes and internal regulations of LaLiga. The same announcement states that, with the aim of enabling attendance at the meeting, LaLiga will provide club representatives and their companions appropriate transport and accommodation.

 "- We believe that the meeting is illegal, given that the clubs are being called to attend the meeting more than 5,000 km away from LaLiga's headquarters.

 "- It is completely unjustifiable to address in such an improvised and urgent manner, in the absence of the appropriate discussion and careful analysis, relevant modifications to LaLiga's internal regulations.

 "- It is completely inappropriate and deeply incoherent for LaLiga to undertake the economic expense of transporting more than 100 people to hold an event of this nature, at this time of year, in the United Arab Emirates, when the same could be held at LaLiga's headquarters without involving excessive costs. Clubs are going through very difficult times financially, burdened by the drop in income experienced in recent years, making it incomprehensible that excessive and unnecessary expenses should be incurred, in particular in the current economic climate.

 "- Real Madrid C.F. will not be sending any representative to Dubai for the reasons stated above and once again laments having to act against the irresponsible actions taken by the president of LaLiga, which are of unjustifiable economic cost and which seriously undermine the image and reputation of Spanish football."

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