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The Secretary General of Culture to the clubs: “Laporta is scared, they are worse than Levante”

Realmadrid.com

The ministerial position, which the clubs see as an ally of Florentino, was honest with some presidents of the First and Second Division in an informal meeting after the summit that Relevo revealed

The meeting held on Monday by the Delegated Commission of the First and Second Division clubs with the minister Miquel Iceta and the CSD sought to find a solution to the “damages” that, according to the sports entities, among which are not even Barça nor Madrid, would mean the approval in Congress of the Sports Law, since they understand that it leaves them unprotected before the Spanish Football Federation and without the possibility of defending themselves against the probable creation of the Super League advocated by Florentino Pérez and Joan Laporta. The protection mechanisms of the clubs to some of the most conflictive points of the aforementioned law were deactivated from the moment in which the PSOE and PP withdrew both amendments agreed with the teams.

Most of the clubs, as Relevo journalist Sergio Fernández has revealed, see Florentino Pérez behind this maneuver, who would have an ally within the Ministry: Víctor Francos, general secretary of Culture and Sports and a strong man in the development of the Sports Law. The leaders who attended the meeting “look at him with distrust because they see him behind all the ‘mud’ that moves behind this legislative process,” says the Relevo journalist. And he seems to accept it. “You see that I have no horns or tail,” Francos released some presidents at the end of the meeting in an informal meeting. «Everyone tells me that if I am a friend of Florentino, even if I am the godfather of José Ángel Sánchez’s children… I have only eaten with him a couple of times. If the other day, in the soccer box, he didn’t even talk to me. And when Florentino doesn’t talk to you, you immediately notice that he doesn’t talk to you… », Francos apologized to his interlocutors.

The scene was revealing. It was coffee time and the weather was fine. Several presidents relaxed on a terrace in the Plaza del Rey where Víctor Francos dropped by and where the Relevo journalist was also. The ministerial position does not beat around the bush and launches: “If this had been done before, we would not be where we are”, alluding to the good harmony that there was in the conclave between presidents of the First and Second and that in principle would have lowered the tension and reduced the chances of a strike declaration in Spanish football. Francos even insinuates that there is no good communication between the socialist group in Congress and the government.

Apparently, the clubs had explained to PP, Vox and PSOE the problems they had with the text of the Sports Law. Some amendments were negotiated that, at the last minute, socialists and popular withdrew without further explanation. A “treason”, some presidents would say. They are convinced that the PP withdrew them due to pressure from the president of Real Madrid, Florentino Pérez. Those of the Socialist Group “stop at the CSD,” argues Francos, who drops that the president of Real Madrid spoke with Albert Soler (director general of Sports of the CSD) and told him “his red lines” before the Sports Law. «I was seeing that the one who was going to play it to you was the PP, it was clear to me…», he tells them.

Francos gains confidence with his interlocutors, settles into a chair and orders a wine. «I have my concerns about Spanish football but I will say those the day I am no longer general secretary. It’s not the time now. What I am saying, with the issue of commercialization, what we now have to do is only: that the legislation remains for CVC to follow».

The commercial exploitation of television rights and the distribution of income are two of the keys to the conflict that keeps Madrid and Barcelona away from the claims of the rest of the clubs: “You have to understand that they are panicking. Look, me yesterday [por el domingo] I was with Laporta in football, I found him entering. They are scared. It is not that they are Levante, it is that they are worse than any other club. Understand me: they are scared. Stay with them, give them certainty. Do you know how the last meal we had between Javier Tebas and the minister ended? The minister begged Javier to please stay with Laporta. That if it was necessary he would go. That he needed them to talk, to try », continues Francos.

And also the Athletic

The conversation turns again to the common interests of Real Madrid and Barcelona and includes a third party: Athletic. “What you have to understand is that those two [lo dice por Real Madrid y Barcelona], that you think there are two, but well, you will tell us, there are three… But well… because Athletic is also in this. They are also involved in this because it is an issue of identity, which is their position and it is legitimate… The problem is that they say: ‘we have many problems with current commercial rights, we cannot go further. They have sent a letter with that requesting a meeting, a letter like yours explaining their reasons, “adds Francos.

Athletic is also in this, because it is a matter of identity, which is their position and it is legitimate…

The conversation flows. He tries to make it clear that the dispute between large, medium and small clubs is neither for him nor for him. The issue revolved around the fact that Laporta was convinced to sign with CVC and that, very suspiciously, he withdrew at the last moment. “In any case, don’t get us in the way. Because we didn’t know who was there, or who wasn’t… What we thought was that it was better to know how the legislative framework looked before closing an agreement like the CVC one, “says Francos. “You have the opportunity to do things right,” the presidents around the table responded.

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