The Spanish foreign ministry has announced that seven Spanish clubs, including Real Madrid and Barcelona, face a European Commission investigation.
The clubs, which also include Osasuna, Valencia, Athletic Bilbao and Elche, as well as Segunda outfit Hercules, face proceedings against them for allegations of receiving illegal state aid.
“It is obvious that the government will fight to the end in defence of the Spanish clubs, which are a part of Spain’s brand,” foreign minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo has commented in response to the news.
Madrid, Barca, Athletic and Osasuna are under investigation for their tax status, with it alleged that they have had an advantage as the four Primera sides not as corporations.
Madrid are also apparently under investigation for the purchase of land that their training facilities are constructed on, whilst Athletic are also under scrutiny for the alleged role of public money in the construction of their new San Mames.
Valencia, Hercules and Elche are under investigation for allegedly receiving aid from the Valencian Institute of Finance. The city government have previously been reported as having provided guarantees on loans for the trio of clubs allegedly totalling €118m.
Garcia-Margallo has told reporters that clubs will be notified later this week and will have ‘one month to prepare declarations’.
