If Spanish football seems like a tornado that drags its actors to collide with each other, in almost all of these clashes appears the president of LaLiga, Javier Tebas (San José, Costa Rica; 61 years old), responsible for the transformation of a championship at the helm of which he has been since 2013. From that place, he has emerged as the main antagonist of Florentino Pérez, especially on behalf of the Super League promoted by the president of Real Madrid.
He was also one of the most combative figures against Luis Rubiales, former president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
Both battles intersect in the development of the interview, which began on Tuesday, five days after the hearing on the Super League case in a commercial court in Madrid, and had to be completed, through messages, when the Guardia Civil entered on Wednesday to search the RFEF offices for contracts signed by Rubiales.
Ask.
What was the first thing she thought when she found out?
Answer.
That it was time.
I have been denouncing the way of operating of the former president of the RFEF for a long time and it has been interpreted as a personal war between Rubiales and Tebas, when it was not.
What is becoming known now, and what may come after it, confirms that it was not a personal disagreement but rather an unsustainable and punishable situation that has led the RFEF to this scenario that is not good for football or for Spain.
Q.
You are in that case in your personal capacity.
From that point of view, what does it mean to see the situation in which Rubiales finds himself?
A.
I have always maintained, and I told him personally, that Luis Rubiales was not qualified to direct an institution of the importance of the RFEF.
Over time, in addition to being incapable, it has been revealed to be many other worse things that can no longer be hidden.
We have seen, even published in the media, obvious cases of embezzlement, improper payments, espionage, hidden recordings, parties, etc., which cannot and should not go unpunished.
Q.
A few days ago the Super League case was heard for sentencing in a commercial court in Madrid.
There it was commented that LaLiga's television rights contracts contemplated downward revisions in case the Super League arrived.
A.
That's how it is.
They talk about another competition that reduces the weekends in which it is played.
Q.
What if the Super League does not invade the weekends?
A.
There are several cases.
Also that you play with smaller players, and that means clear damage to television audiences.
Or if you do a free OTT [as the Super League proposes].
Which is impossible, but let's assume it's free during the week.
Are you going to get paid on the weekend?
You'll tell me... I give away the chicken during the week and sell the chicken on the weekend.
Any competition you create new or free always affects the national league.
Other contracts establish that it also decreases in case the Champions League model changes, and that it is a model of promotions and relegations as they tried to do in 2019.
Q.
And the change to the Champions League next season, which increases the number of games?
R.
At the time I told UEFA: I want to see if this cannibalizes the rights of the national leagues.
If you cannibalize the rights of the national leagues, I will propose that we go back to the above.
In Spain it has not cannibalized.
In Italy, for example, the Champions League has earned 100 million more, and national rights have dropped by about 100 million.
The key to the Super League model is that access to all European competitions does not exist.
It only exists in the latest fashion, in the blue.
The gold and the other one don't have it.
In the current Champions model you access all European competitions.
That's the key.
P.
At the hearing, the KPMG report was recalled, which states that the Super League would reduce LaLiga's income by 65%.
Why the Super League and the Champions League, which they aspire to replace, no?
A.
I am going to repeat it 20,000 times.
Access makes you feel the excitement of the competition.
Girona, in the other model, even if it comes second, will never go to the Champions League.
Q.
Are LaLiga rights worth more because Girona can go to the Champions League?
A.
What matters is the competition.
Forgive me for telling you: you have no idea about television.
And I have to say it, and let it be recorded in the interview, because it is very important to know... Juventus has not played in the Champions League and no one has lowered the Champions League rights.
If you maintain a club profile there, your rights are worth the same or more.
Our national competition has been based for 30 years on teams playing in Europe depending on their results in that competition.
What does the Super League do?
No, you don't go to Europe because of your results in national competitions.
What happens if you have a 38-day national competition where it is already known before competing who is going to play in the Champions League and the Europa League?
What emotion do you have?
What value does it have?
What sponsors are you going to have?
When they say that they do not harm the national leagues, it is not true.
They destroy the entire ecosystem.
You have to ask yourself why the Premier is against it, why Ligue 1 is against it, why the Bundesliga is against it with this same argument. Are they stupid?
Javier Tebas, during the interview at the LaLiga headquarters.Jaime Villanueva
Q.
With so many actors against it, why are you still afraid that it will go ahead?
A.
Knowing Florentino Pérez... He never gives up on anything.
And knowing his influence and his area of power, it has always worried me.
And I think I'm right to worry.
It surprises me, and I don't want to say that it was the influence of Florentino Pérez, but that 26 states of the European Union are going on one path and Spain is not going, with the excuse of a judicial issue, which could last eight years... It is surprising .
Where Florentino Pérez is, you always have to be worried.
If we are against something, always.
And that's how my management has gone well: being worried.
Always alert.
In a couple of months we will have convictions for our judicial actions in cases of racism against Vinicius.
Q.
Some of the clubs that A22 is said to be talking to seem to be big clubs that have run down.
Does it remind you of the strategy you developed with the G-30, that is, bringing together teams dissatisfied with their income to gain strength?
A.
I did it for good.
They do it for evil.
There is a clear difference.
I did not create a G-30 to destroy the Spanish league, but so that there would be a more equitable distribution for medium and small clubs.
Q.
When the new club World Cup format came out, you said you were going to sue FIFA.
At what point is that?
A.
First question: it is not a new format;
It's another competition.
It is important to differentiate it.
We are studying the actions and the relevant legal path to proceed with the World Cup lawsuit.
Q.
A few months ago you said that Spanish football was at its worst reputational moment: Negreira, several cases of racism and Rubiales agreed.
Rubiales is no longer there, but the Negreira case remains at the same point and episodes of racism are still seen.
How do you evaluate the moment now?
A.
I think that on the issue of racism we are in a better situation than before.
The campaigns we run work.
Maybe not everywhere, but I think they are working well.
We will soon have news of convictions for our judicial actions.
In addition to Vinicius.
In a couple of months.
There is clearly greater awareness than a year ago.
Q.
Do you miss that the clubs take more initiative, for example with cases like the insults to Vinicius a few days ago outside the Metropolitano?
A.
I would prefer that the clubs do it.
Mallorca, for example, has helped a lot.
When the case of Iñaki Williams, Espanyol was very cooperative.
Nor am I going to ask people to throw themselves into the trenches.
I'm not going to force anyone.
Would I like them to do it more?
Like many other things, eh... Madrid Television... if we all make television like Madrid, it would be a fire in all of football.
I see the game in Miami as more feasible.
Q.
And Negreira?
A.
My opinion, which I said from the beginning, is becoming clearer: that FC Barcelona paid for the influence that Negreira had on the promotions and relegations of the referees and perhaps some indirect influence with Sánchez Arminio when referees had to be appointed to that commission. of refereeing in professional football, or in the Copa del Rey, which was designated only by Sánchez Arminio.
Was that influence... Buying referees?
No, and I don't see that it can be accredited. The reputational issue still exists.
Less than before, because we are working to clarify this situation.
Q.
Sometimes justice is too slow for reputation.
Would they need other mechanisms?
A.
It was a prescription problem.
In an upcoming reform we are going to increase the prescription to at least five years.
But for this type of infractions we would increase it to ten years.
Q.
Now that Rubiales is no longer in the equation, is it more feasible to play a League match in Miami, as the RFEF proposed years ago and prevented?
R.
I see it as more feasible due to the ruling of December 21 [of the CJEU on the Super League].
Because the match in Miami is true that it has some sporting connotation, but there is much more that has an economic connotation, and there has to be a correct and not arbitrary regulation, which is what there was.
Therefore, I see it as more feasible.
Q.
Are you going to take it back then?
A.
Yes, but not in the short term.
I think that right now the federation only needs us to throw a game in Miami.
Q.
Can there then be more than one match abroad?
A.
I don't think it's much more than a game.
I don't see it at least in the short term and in my term in office.
During my term in office I see a game.
I stay there.
Q.
Another issue in which you have clashed with Florentino Pérez has been the agreement with CVC.
What effects has he had?
A.
We haven't been here for even two years.
The commercial income of clubs other than Real Madrid and Barcelona has increased by close to 300%.
This comes as a consequence of the fact that in the field of social networks, clubs that are not Real Madrid and Barcelona have also had a growth of 200%.
Ticketing has also grown, because there has been some renovation of stadiums.
It is the year that more people go to the soccer fields.
We are going to have an average occupancy of 82%-85%.
There are more comfortable stadiums, more VIP areas that produce more income... It is already noticeable.
Javier Tebas, during the interview.Jaime Villanueva
Q.
One of the fields that has not been renovated is Rayo.
A.
The Rayo field has to be reformed.
The club already knows perfectly well that this field has to be renovated in the short term now.
Q.
Do they pay penalties?
R.
Of the television regulations.
A regulation for stadium structures and works will be approved shortly.
After a transitional period, they will have to have it changed.
Q.
In what period?
A.
A project will have to be presented in the first year of application, which will be shortly, and executed in two or three years.
Q.
Will it be your last mandate?
A.
I hope so.
But I have always said it: it will not be my last mandate if the challenge of this Super League is still on the table and can pose a problem for the ecosystem of European football and Spanish football.
So, I'll try to continue.
If he's already dead, if there's nothing, I'll go home.
Q.
Isn't there anyone more combative?
A.
I have to say that... I don't know... I'm asking you.
Is there anyone willing to fight what has been fought in this house?
In Europe they ask me this many times.
It is difficult for people to get out of their comfort position.
I would be very comfortable without getting involved with Florentino Pérez or getting involved with the Super League.
Unfortunately for my family, I have chosen a position of discomfort, where these attacks from all sides, against my reputation, against my honor, are constant.
Q.
Why do you do it?
A.
Because I look in the mirror in the morning, and I have not come to this life to be in a position of comfort and to be a coward.
The bad guys win because the brave become cowards, and I'm not going to be a coward.
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