European Super League: La Liga won't defend Real Madrid, Barcelona if sanctioned by UEFA, says Tebas

LaLiga president Javier Tebas has asserted that if Barcelona and Real Madrid are sanctioned by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the Spanish top flight will not defend the clubs.

UEFA had opened disciplinary proceedings against Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Juventus for their involvement in the European Super League (ESL). UEFA had stated that it intends to punish the three clubs for still choosing to be a part of the European Super League.

"We as a league and as a president of La Liga are not going to defend any Spanish club, if they have to be sanctioned they will be. This is not a question of nationality. We are not going to have any opinion of what UEFA decides on the sanction of the clubs," Tebas told reporters in a virtual press conference.

The La Liga chief said the Spanish League will not suffer and it can survive without Real Madrid and Barcelona. He also said the Champions League too would not lose its charm if the two clubs were not a part of it.

"Champions League went ahead with Manchester United being a part of it for five years and AC Milan was expelled from the competition due to financial reason but the league has continued," said Tebas

"Obviously we would love to see Real Madrid and Barcelona playing in European competition every season but the facts are the facts and UEFA must act.

"La Liga will not suffer, it can survive without Real Madrid and Barcelona perfectly if they are not in European competition," he added.

Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Juventus on Wednesday issued a fresh statement over their involvement in the breakaway ESL and these three clubs also hit out at UEFA for continuously criticising their plans.

Tebas, the head of the Spanish top-flight, feels FIFA president Gianni Infantino was involved in the discussion which led to the formation of the Super League.

"I know that clubs were convinced that FIFA was going to be behind the project because that is what they declared. We know what's happened, I have analysed Infantino's last declaration and he has never said outright that he has not met them because he has met them on a phone or virtual meeting or whatever," said Tebas.

"And I know that some of his team members have met in person. I do not know who advised him (Infantino) but anything he does or he agrees with the leagues their people will suffer from the damage that could be caused," he added.

Talking about the changing of schedule, Tebas said," FIFA through a modification in the calendar cannot indirectly change our structures and we are going to defend it legally if necessary."

In April, UEFA announced a new Champions League format which will come in force from the 2024 season.

Champions League will now be competed between 36 teams, adding four more teams to the competition. All 36 teams are brought together into one pool instead of the current system of four-team groups.

Every club will now be guaranteed a minimum of 10 league stage games against 10 different opponents (five home games, five away) rather than the previous six matches against three teams, played on a home and away basis.

Expressing concern over increasing matches in the Champions League, Tebas said," We are not stupid, we might be naive but we are not stupid. We do not like so many matches, we do not want so many match days in the new Champions League format.

"It is going to cannibalise the national markets and make things more difficult," he added.

( With inputs from ANI )

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