- LFP says scheduled end of season strike is illegal
- AFE Spanish footballers’ associations are deceiving its footballers, LFP opines
- League body blasts RFEF and AFE presidents
- Court could decide broadcast dispute
The National professional football league (LFP) has termed a scheduled indefinite strike by the Spanish footballers’ association (AFE) and the Spanish football federation (RFEF) as “illegal” and calls for an immeidiate suspension of the season-end industrial action.
The RFEF, following a call by the AFE, announced last week that Spanish football will be suspended indefinitely on 16 May over disagreements on a newly established TV rights act.
The final two matches of the La Liga season and the Copa del Rey final, as well as matches in the Segunda Division will be affected should the bodies carry out their plans.
In the meantime, all parties involved have been summoned to the Spanish High Court on Wednesday.
President of the LFP Javier Tebas met with heads of the Spanish Primeira Division and Segunda Division clubs in Madrid on Monday.
A joint statement from that meeting confirmed the league body’s support for the TV act, while highlighting its benefits to Spanish football. The RFEF and the AFE are not happy about the new decree, which introduced collective bargaining for domestic TV rights. Real Madrid and Barcelona currently receive most of the audiovisual broadcast money.
The LFP says AFE is “deceiving its footballers” with an “unlawful” strike, adding it “relies more on justice” instead of reaching an agreement with presidents of the RFEF, Angel Maria Villar, and that of the footballers’ association, Luis Ribiales.
The LFP will meet with the AFE on Tuesday but Tebas is not optimistic of the possible outcome.
Tebas is also asking Spain’s Sport Council (CSD) for interim measures which could provide room for the remaining La Liga fixtures to go ahead, incase legal procedures does not prevent the scheduled strike.
Barcelona are four points clear of second-placed Real in the Spanish top flight with two matches left. The Catalans will be crowned champions next weekend- if strike action is suspended- with victory away to Atletico Madrid. Luis Enrique’s men face Athletic Bilbao in the final of the Copa deal Rey.
