La Liga could yet be thrown into chaos this weekend as the competition is still set for a strike due to a dispute over television right...
La Liga could yet be thrown
into chaos this weekend as
the competition is still set for
a strike due to a dispute over
television rights.
The Spanish government
announced a new deal on April 30 that would see the
introduction of a fairer system that would no longer
allow Real Madrid and Barcelona to negotiate their
own contracts for the broadcasting of their league
games.
The new agreement was widely praised but the
Association of Spanish Footballers (AFE) believes that
it only addresses some of the issues and called a
strike for the last two weekends of the season,
starting on May 16.
That was seconded by the Spanish Football
Federation (RFEF) last week and, although talks took
place between AFE and Spain's Professional Football
League body (LFP) in Madrid on Tuesday, no progress
was made and the strike will therefore still go ahead.
"No agreement with La Liga was possible," AFE
president Luis Rubiales told reporters afterwards,
"but at least we sat at the same table. We have
spoken and everyone maintains their position at the
moment. We will keep trying but, right now, the strike
still stands."
With the Champions League final to take place on
June 6 and the Copa America set to start just days
later, a strike would throw La Liga into chaos because
there are no other dates available to play the final
two rounds of fixtures.
If the strike does go ahead this weekend, it could also
delay the outcome of La Liga, with Barcelona needing
only to beat Atletico Madrid at the weekend to win
the Primera Division title.
Another meeting is planned for Wednesday morning
and RFEF president Angel Maria Villar, who was
absent on Tuesday, is expected to be in attendance
this time around.
