In Spain, two major figures embody the power of soccer. On the one hand, Javier Tebas, the controversial president of La Liga, known for his trenchant statements.
On the other, Florentino Pérez, the all-powerful president of Real Madrid, influential and omnipresent in the country’s footballing landscape. The two men regularly clash on various issues, and their rivalry has recently intensified over TV rights and the Super League.
Perez advocates free soccer
Florentino Pérez recently reignited the debate by talking about free soccer as part of his vision for Super League. “Super League’s proposal to offer soccer for free… Yes, it’s innovative! Today, I’m more optimistic than ever. The landmark European Court ruling, which will be studied in universities, has put an end to UEFA’s monopoly. It hasn’t been easy, with pressure and threats, but we’re making progress,” he declared, welcoming the recent legal developments.
Tebas’ scathing retort
Javier Tebas was quick to respond, mocking Pérez’s idea: “How about free bread, tobacco, gin and a free drink? Let’s go for the best of everything, of course.” On Twitter, Tebas had already criticized the Madrid president: “Florentino has been very active recently, but sometimes he seems out of touch with reality. He says inaccurate things, like this ‘phantom amendment’, or misinformation about television and piracy. I hope that when he talks about his club – of which I’m a supporter – he’s more realistic. Otherwise, it would worry me.”
The feud between the two men, involving financial stakes and visions of the future of soccer, seems far from calming down.
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