La Liga president Javier Tebas has hit back hard at criticism of the schedule made by Barcelona manager Hansi Flick, taking part in a war of words that shows the increasing friction between La Liga’s biggest clubs and the administration of the league.
The issue began the other week when Flick complained about Barcelona having to play Valladolid on Saturday, May 3, and only being given a few days before their important second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Inter Milan.
According to Diario Sport, at the presentation of La Liga’s economic report of the 2023/24 season, Tebas was direct to Flick in response and stated that the league is always open to any further explanation of their scheduling.
“There is no discriminatory agenda.” Javier Tebas stated, “We run the entire competition, and there are many clubs, and whilst that’s an area in which we are looking to help clubs. It’s not about helping a club or hurting a club.”
The combative league president continued to place blame on UEFA, stating that if Flick was going to complain about the scheduling, he should have complained to UEFA instead.
Javier Tebas questioned Flick’s focus on La Liga by asking: “Why is it always the national leagues that are at fault? Why don’t you complain to UEFA? That’s where the pressure on the schedule is.”
He explained how the scheduling for 21 matches each week in Spain’s first and second divisions is, insisting that the priority of La Liga was to ensure a competitive and attractive league for all clubs, not just for the dominant ones.
The La Liga boss called Flick’s comments “very hard” and reiterated that they will act to protect the interests of Spanish football overall.
As the Champions League knockout round approaches, the debates regarding fixture congestion and player welfare will continue raging between the various governing bodies of football, amid clubs stuck between competing priorities and conflicting schedule demands.
Tebas’s confrontational response suggests that there will be little accommodation going forward for any future special requests, which could set the foundation for an uncomfortable and combative relationship heading into the back end of the season.
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