Real Madrid and FC Barcelona have vehemently defended themselves against suspicions raised by the European Commission regarding possible illegal public aid. The investigation targets seven Spanish clubs, with Brussels accused of attempting to tarnish Spanish football.
Florentino Perez (Real Madrid), Sandro Rosell (FC Barcelona), Miguel Cardenal (Secretary of State for Sport), and Javier Trebas (President of the Football League) have all rejected the allegations. The European Commission is scrutinizing whether clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao, and Osasuna, which belong to their “socios” and receive corporate tax advantages, have unduly benefited from exemptions on social charges and tax debts.
Florentino Perez expressed his belief in a campaign against Spanish football and emphasized that Real Madrid had paid 13 million euros more to the Public Treasury over the last decade than if they had been able to deduct reinvestments. Sandro Rosell stated that Barcelona had not received any aid and stressed their compliance with Spanish legislation. Miguel Cardenal defended the clubs, stating that the impact on the accused teams over the last four fiscal years was 1.6 million euros, a far cry from the alleged scandal.
Javier Trebas suggested that Spanish football’s success, including victories in the 2010 World Cup and the 2008 and 2012 Euros, has led to unwarranted doubt. He argued that the European Union must ensure fair competition and that the initiation of an investigation doesn’t necessarily imply wrongdoing. The clubs, along with Valencia FC, Hercules Alicante, and Elche, are collectively targeted in the investigation.
