A war of words has broken out between Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and La Liga president Javier Tebas.
The Manchester City boss has accused Tebas – who is a long-term vocal critic of the English champions and the source of their funding – of meddling in the affairs of others club as his own business, the Spanish top-flight, was assumed to be struggling.
Guardiola, with his typical sarcastic and passive aggressive tone, tore into the chief of the Spanish top-flight for how he was conducting his own business and giving advice to others.
The former Barcelona boss was insistent that City’s funding was legitimate and questioned why football was the only business that would not welcome investment.
Guardiola said: “There is better management in the Premier [League], which is seen in Asia, from which Mr. Tebas could learn.
🗣 Guardiola a @Tebasjavier:
“Tebas sap de tot, més que ningú… Que n’aprengui i probablement així el Barça, el Madrid, l’Atlético, el València… tindran tots més recursos per poder fer les inversions que han de fer”
📽 @tv3cat
pic.twitter.com/AP0JbEBeP2— Què T’hi Jugues (@QueThiJugues) July 5, 2021
“Perhaps he could sell the product better in other countries. People complain but thanks to these investments, people from other clubs in other countries can continue to do things.
“Perhaps it is the only business in which people who want to invest are frowned upon. I don’t understand it because this affects other clubs around the world.
“There is United, City, Chelsea or Liverpool, economically strong clubs with owners who want to invest – many of them – like ours, who do not want any profit but to reinvest so that the club can continue to grow for the fans. What problem is there?
“Then there are always UEFA controls, like financial fair play. If the product is better sold and more is paid for television rights, Mr. Tebas, who knows more about everything than anyone else and is wiser than anyone and puts himself in the house of others, then let him learn.
“Perhaps like this, Barca, Madrid, Atletico or Valencia will have more resources to make the investments they should make, and if we make a mistake, they will penalise us and we will not be able to play. But as it is not the case, each one does what they want.”
Now, Tebas has hit back at Guardiola’s comments by once again criticising his understanding of how football was funded and the long-term negative impacts.
Pep de la Premier aprendo todos los días, sería bueno que te enseñen un poco de macroeconomía del fútbol, de los efectos de los clubes estado en la inflación de salarios, de demografía, de la penetración de tv de pago, de china… y de la absolución en el TAS tendremos noticias. https://t.co/9VixVnRD6i
— Javier Tebas Medrano (@Tebasjavier) July 5, 2021
The league chief said: “Pep, I learn from the Premier League every day. It would be good if they teach you a little about football macroeconomics, about the impacts of state clubs on wage inflation, demographics, the impact of pay TV, China…and of the acquittal in CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sports) we will have news.”
* Is Spanish football thriving financially?
* Is La Liga the best run league in the world?
* Is Javier Tebas a beacon of light and superior knowledge and achievement for the world of football?
If you answer yes to all three of the above I have a bridge I would like to sell you 🙂
no.