Transfer palava: Ligue 1 and LaLiga go to war over Kylian Mbappe!

By Our reporter On May 26, 2022 0

Row between Spanish and French football chiefs over Kylian Mbappe’s decision to snub Real Madrid and stay at Paris Saint-Germain has escalated further.

Javier Tebas, the president of Spain’s LaLiga, described the striker’s new deal as an ‘insult to football’ while the league threatened to file a complaint against PSG to UEFA, the French financial authorities and the European Union.

They claimed Mbappe’s new three-year deal, which will see the 23-year-old earn £650,000-a-week and receive a £126million signing-on bonus, ‘attacks the economic stability of European football.’

It had seemed almost certain that the France international would sign for Spanish champions Real this summer on a free transfer after his PSG contract expired.

Now, Vincent Labrune, the chairman of the French league, has hit back with his own scolding statement, reminding the Spanish league that Real Madrid and Barcelona spend enormous sums on transfer fees and have ‘benefitted from illegal state aid.’

In his letter to Tebas, Labrune said: ‘We want to express in the strongest possible terms our disapproval, and also our incomprehension, of your latest attacks against Ligue 1 and one of our clubs.

‘The fact that you publicly and repeatedly take this position against Ligue 1 on this topic and denigrate our league and our clubs is both unacceptable and manifestly false.

‘We are all the more shocked that you are making these attacks given your capacity as president of the European Leagues – which represents Ligue 1 – and a UEFA executive committee member.’

Labrune went on to remind Tebas of Spanish clubs’ own financial transgressions in the past.

He added: ‘First, in relation to financial stability and sustainability, two of your clubs – Real Madrid and Barcelona – have broken a multitude of records in the past decade.

‘In terms of transfer fees, these two clubs have broken the world record six times. In terms of player salaries, Real Madrid currently has two of the highest-paid players in world football sat on their bench [Gareth Bale and Eden Hazard].

‘In terms of debt, Barcelona is reported to have a debt level of €1.5billion, and this is despite the European Court of Justice finding that Real Madrid and Barcelona benefitted from illegal state aid.

‘Over the past 10 years, LaLiga spent 32 per cent more on players than Ligue 1; and significantly more on foreign players outside your own league compared to Ligue 1.’

He scored a hat-trick in a 5-0 PSG win as they rounded off a title-winning season in style

The letter by Labrune went on: ‘Finally, one final comment would be a simple request to treat players in our league and across European football with some respect.

‘When Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos and others left your league – by choice – last year, rather than acknowledging their greatness (which you had weeks prior to their departure) you commented on their age and brandished our league as being ‘like the league of legends given the age of some players.’

‘Now your disrespectful smears seem to be directed towards Kylian Mbappe who is widely acknowledged to be one of the world’s greatest players and who simply didn’t join your league, by choice, despite having received a similar offer.

‘Unlike you, Ligue 1 lauds and promotes players both in our league and across Europe – including those in your league.

‘Someone in your various positions might be wise to consider the same.’

After Mbappe turned down Real, Tebas launched an attack on PSG and their Qatari president Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

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