Javier Tebas vs Florentino Perez war continues: La Liga president accuses Real Madrid president of lying

The simmering rivalry between La Liga president Javier Tebas and Real Madrid president Florentino Perez erupted again, with Tebas accusing Perez of spreading misinformation and leveraging political influence. Their dispute centers on several issues, notably La Liga’s 2021 deal with private equity firm CVC, Los Blancos’ governance structure, and broader disagreements over soccer’s governance in Spain and Europe.

At the heart of the feud is La Liga’s 2021 agreement to sell a 10% stake in its TV revenue to CVC Capital Partners, a move aimed at long-term financial growth for the league. Perez has been a vocal critic, labeling the agreement an “expropriation” designed to “steal” Real Madrid’s assets. Alongside rivals Barcelona and Athletic Club, Madrid refused to accept the deal, arguing it undermines the autonomy of member-owned clubs. Perez reiterated his opposition during a recent Los Blancos assembly, proposing a new governance structure to protect the club’s La Liga revenue and ensure members retain control.

Javier Tebas, never one to shy away from confrontation, fired back at Perez in a series of pointed remarks on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Tebas accused Perez of creating a “messianic” persona as soccer’s savior while spreading “lies, phantom amendments, and half-truths.”

“Perez cannot fool La Liga clubs, though it seems he can fool others, including certain political sectors,” Tebas wrote, asserting that Perez wields undue influence in political circles. Tebas also dismissed Perez’s claims about the CVC deal as baseless: “The excuse of CVC is neither serious nor true. There must be other reasons he is hiding from the public.”

Media manipulation and transparency allegations

The conflict extends beyond financial deals, with Tebas accusing Perez of using his influence to shape media narratives. Referencing alleged interference in Spanish media, Tebas highlighted examples from journalist David Jimenez’s book, El Director, which outlines instances of Perez reportedly pressuring news outlets to align with his agenda.

Tebas retorted, “The thief thinks everyone is like him,” insinuating that Perez’s criticisms of La Liga’s transparency are hypocritical given his alleged history of media manipulation.

Perez’s ambitions for a European Super League also reignited debate. The Real Madrid president recently claimed that a European Court of Justice (CJEU) ruling in December 2023 weakened UEFA and FIFA’s grip on soccer governance. However, Tebas vehemently refuted this interpretation, calling it “completely false.”

Tebas emphasized that the ruling upheld UEFA’s dominant position while mandating greater transparency in certain practices. He challenged Perez to either operate outside the UEFA and FIFA frameworks or comply with their established regulations.

Bigger picture: Power struggle in Spanish soccer

This latest spat underscores the deep divisions between La Liga leadership and one of its most prominent clubs. Perez’s criticisms reflect his broader dissatisfaction with La Liga’s direction under Tebas, while Tebas views Perez as a disruptive force undermining collective efforts for league growth.

While Tebas has strong support from La Liga clubs—demonstrated by a secret vote where Perez’s proposals garnered only 3 out of 42 possible votes—the ongoing discord raises questions about the future cohesion of Spanish soccer.