LaLiga boss Tebas reignites war with Paris Saint-Germain chief Al-Khelaifi
LaLiga president Javier Tebas has reignited his war of words with Paris Saint-Germain chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi by blaming him for the financial problems in French football.
Tebas and Al-Khelaifi have clashed repeatedly in the past, most notably when PSG signed Neymar from Barcelona against the wishes of the Spanish club and its league in 2017.
Ligue 1, the top French football league, has seen the value of its media rights plummet in value following the collapse of deals – forcing most of its clubs to sell their best players.
That has ramped up scrutiny of Al-Khelaifi, who is also chairman of Ligue 1 broadcaster BeIn, and PSG, whose vast revenues have insulated them from the problems.
“The French league, in my opinion, they haven’t got good financial fair play rules and also the bodies have not applied them correctly,” Tebas said at the FT Business of Football Summit.
“I can’t go into greater depth on this but, that together with the broadcast problems they have, makes their situation more complicated.
“Leagues have to be fully aware we are leading a group of clubs and the interests of the competition have to be above those of the clubs, no matter how big the clubs are.
“In France they’ve got a leadership crisis and they have to face the situation. There is a clear conflict of interest from Nasser Al-Khelaifi and the problem is not being solved.”
BeIn denies Al-Khelaifi conflict of interest
Al-Khelaifi’s role was highlighted earlier this month when BeIn gazumped Ligue 1’s own media platform for the rights to show this summer’s World Cup.
It was seen as a major blow to the finances of the French league more widely and led to its media boss Nicolas de Tavernost to resign in protest at BeIn’s actions.
BeIn is understood to have French football chiefs this month to point out that Al-Khelaifi does not have operation or executive responsibilities at the broadcaster and that he is recused from any decision-making at league level that involves BeIn.
Tebas is himself also a director of London-based Peak Sport Media, which describes itself as “a long-term strategic partner of LaLiga”.