French League slams Tebas over Messi comments
FT Desk
- 8 Sept 2021 17:54 BST
- 3 min read
The French Professional League (LFP) has launched a withering response to Javier Tebas after the president of La Liga’s controversial comments about Lionel Messi’s move to PSG.
Tebas has consistently criticised PSG and state-owned clubs in recent years, accusing the French side and Premier League giants Manchester City of “financial doping”.
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The Liga chief most recently hit out after Lionel Messi left Barcelona to join a PSG side that also recruited Sergio Ramos, Gigi Donnarumma, Achraf Hakimi and Gini Wijnaldum this summer.
What did Tebas say?
"PSG looks like the league of legends given the age of some players. La Liga has young players like Vinicius (Junior). The problem of PSG, we will solve it. What
PSG are doing is as dangerous as the Super League," Tebas complained.
"We will continue to grow despite the departure of Messi. We will work against the club states. These clubs are as much enemies as the Super League.”
What did LFP say?
On Wednesday, the LFP issued an official statement denouncing Tebas for his words.
"The Professional Football League would like to respond with determination to the latest statement by Mr. Javier Tebas about Paris Saint-Germain in particular and the situation of the Ligue 1 in general," the statement read.
"The comments made by the President of the Spanish Football League are not worthy of the institution he represents and which the Professional Football League has always respected.
"The Professional Football League therefore asks Mr. Javier Tebas to watch his outrageous statements.
"The Professional Football League and La Liga clearly do not share the same approach of what should be the inter-league relations. The Professional Football League does not want to be the 'muleta' waved by Mr. Tebas to hide the internal problems currently experienced by Spanish professional soccer.
"However, it would like to remind that the financial largesse that Spanish clubs have enjoyed for many seasons and which is at the origin of the current problems, is neither its responsibility nor that of Paris Saint-Germain.
"On this subject, the Professional Football League has no lessons to receive in terms of financial control of clubs. It is undeniable that the LFP has played a leading role in this field at the European level with the creation of the DNCG, which is still today an effective regulatory model recognized by all.
"In conclusion, the Professional Football League advises Mr. Javier Tebas to return to more restraint. Each professional league must now work for the development of its championship and for the common good of European professional soccer, which must act as one in order to bounce back from the health crisis that has severely impacted its economy.
"The European leagues must unite to face the future threats concerning the international calendar. This is the meaning of the work of the French soccer leaders through their respective actions within the international soccer bodies (UEFA, ECA, World Leagues Forum, European Leagues)."
La Liga’s two biggest clubs have suffered from historic financial problems this summer in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, with Barcelona estimated to be €1.2 billion in debt at the end of last season.
