Javier Tebas: We can't look the other way with Barcelona

Javier Tebas, president of La Liga, said they cannot look "the other way" with Barcelona's financial problems as it would cause La Liga to collapse.

"Barcelona is very important for the league, but if we look the other way, it would be a serious mistake. Our competition would collapse. Maybe now their president will call me angry, but it's the truth," admitted Tebas on Thursday at the Financial Times' industry and football forum in the English capital, London.

Tebas also analysed the state of Spanish football and was asked if he feels proud to see teams like Real Madrid holding their own and beating English sides, despite the supposed dominance of the Premier League due to the economic advantage.

"Yes, I feel proud, for Villarreal, for Sevilla, not just for the big teams. It shows that it's not just money that matters. Yes, money gives you a competitive advantage, but that's not all that matters.

"We may have less money, but we work better in training football, with our scouts.... There are many factors involved," added the La Liga president. 

Tebas affirmed that the Superliga is not dead and said the attempt to create a new competition is a warning message that they have to be careful about.

"It's a message that tells you: Real Madrid generates a lot of money, they want to play against the best, have the best games and the rest of us will give them the crumbs. That's not a good message. It's like a country being run by a bank," he continued.

"We need to look at why this Super League came about, whether we need to improve the governance of the sport, for example. The system we have sometimes benefits more the big teams and we have to find a better balance.

The League president also spoke about possible sanctions on Manchester City, who have been accused of breaking more than 100 financial rules in the Premier League.

"In 2017 at a forum organised in Manchester, I already criticised PSG and City. Ferran Soriano (City CEO) asked me to come to the club's premises, he was angry with me. Nothing has changed since then, now this case has been opened, which in my opinion has taken too long. They have broken 100 rules. The right decisions will have to be made.

"City and PSG were sanctioned by UEFA without being able to play in European competitions and it was CAS that changed it. Maybe we have to review the role of CAS in all this," Tebas said.

Tebas denied that they envy the Premier League and, although he acknowledged that the English championship "is the best product in the world", he listed the differences with it, stressing the larger market it covers.

"No, no, I'm not jealous of the Premier League. On a commercial level it is the best product in the world and for the league it is very difficult to be at the same level because of the differences between the two countries," Tebas admitted Thursday at the Financial Times Sport and Business Forum in London.

"You have more than 70 million inhabitants, we have 50 million, plus the Commonwealth countries. It's impossible to compare.

"We have learned from the Premiership, in terms of TV rights. We aspire to be at their level, of course, that's what we try, but no, we are not envious, because there are also elements that have not been done well, such as allowing owners to invest at a loss, which is something that needs to be reduced and that doesn't make sense," the La Liga president acknowledged.

Asked about the spectacular spending by English teams in the winter transfer window, with clubs such as Chelsea spending more than 330 million euros, Tebas said that "if you are constantly losing money you introduce inflation and affect the rest of the teams in Europe".

"Maybe Real Madrid can spend the same as a Premier League team, but Barcelona can't, and Madrid doesn't, and it doesn't increase inflation.

Tebas was also reminded of the times when it was Real Madrid who spent millions to create a squad of 'galacticos'.

"I don't miss it and I don't want it. I don't want Real Madrid to buy whatever they want easily. We have to adapt to the situation of the industry today. We want a balanced competition."