LaLiga Chief Gomez Slams Premier League, Accuses Clubs Of Financial Doping

Laliga Corporate General Director, Javier Gomez, has slammed the Premier League and accused the clubs in it of committing ‘financial doping’ while signing players during the just concluded January transfer window.

According to Deloitte.com, the Premier League spent a total of $1 billion on transfers during the mid-season window, with Chelsea alone disbursing over $360 million.

Across the other four of the top five leagues ( French Ligue 1, Serie A, Bundesliga and Laliga) the spending was about €255 million.

Laliga clubs, Real Madrid and Barcelona have been subject to various FFP crackdowns in recent times.

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In a video posted on Laliga President Javier Tebas’ Twitter handle, Gomez tackled the spending of the Premier League clubs as regards the Financial Fair Play Rules.

“We are aware that there is a lot of talk about how Laliga’s economic control means Spanish clubs sign less than Premier League clubs,” Gomez said

“The reality is that at Laliga we want clubs to spend what they can afford and generate themselves, that is to say, their own revenues. It is true that shareholders are also allowed to support the club and put money in to spend more than the club itself can generate but within certain limits.

“Essentially (in England), they are ‘doping’ the club. They are injecting money not generated by the club for it to spend, which puts the viability of the club at risk if the shareholder leaves. In our opinion that is cheating, because it drags down the rest of the leagues.

“That is our fight, demanding that UEFA implements a new economic regulation that prevents the shareholder of a club from putting in more than a certain amount and that it enforces this rule and sanctions non-compliant clubs.”

Chelsea signed Argentine star Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for €120 million breaking the Premier League record.

Premier League clubs have spent £2.8 billion on player transfers during the whole 2022/23 season.

By Toju Sote