Chief of Spanish top-flight says lavish and inefficient is hurting Premier League sides despite financial power
La Liga president Javier Tebas believes Spanish clubs are outperforming their Premier League counterparts because they are more “effective” with their transfer spending.
Tebas’ comments come during a week when Premier League sides have been outclassed in the Champions League. Real Madrid claimed an emphatic 5-1 aggregate victory over Manchester City. Paris Saint-Germain humiliated Chelsea 8-2 on aggregate, while Barcelona routed Newcastle 7-2 at Camp Nou to make it 8-3 over both legs.
Tottenham Hotspur managed to defeat Atletico Madrid 3-2 in the second leg of their last-16 tie but the English team had been beaten 5-2 in the first leg, which meant that they exited 7-5 on aggregate.
Tebas said Spanish teams were performing better because while the Premier League was far richer, they were more lavish and inefficient in the use of that cash.
“It’s not me saying it, there are reports that say it,” Tebas said. “[The reports] say that the teams which are most effective in spending on players are Spanish. It is what it is.
“There are a lot of examples. Look at the case of Antony: the money he cost [Manchester United, €95m], and then what he cost Real Betis. How many players sign for Premier League clubs and then end up playing here? In my opinion, yes, [La Liga is more efficient].
“And the Spanish football model is more focused on academies. We don’t need that spending.”
Premier League clubs spent a combined total of £3.087bn on transfers last summer, more than the rest of Europe’s top five leagues (La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1) combined.
Meanwhile, at €1.46bn, La Liga has a significantly higher combined market value of homegrown players than figures attributed to England and Germany.
“Our teams are competitive, and I think they will be for many years,” Tebas said. “We fight so that the clubs that don’t play fair, the ‘state clubs’ [can’t do so] and I’d like to get more support, because when we criticise it, we do so alone.”
Tebas also raised concerns about what he described as unsustainable financial practices in England, warning that the league’s excessive spending could have long-term consequences.
“I worry that spending controls aren’t followed, that there isn’t a financial rationale to the management,” said La Liga’s president. “It’s a worrying model, because it generates losses, and the clubs can only be saved if they qualify for European competitions, but it creates a debt bubble.”
