‘Spanish football mustn’t be damaged’

Miguel Cardenal has called on the European Commission to clarify allegations seven clubs including Barcelona and Real Madrid face.

Barca, Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, Osasuna, Elche, Hercules and Valencia have been confirmed this week by the Spanish foreign ministry as facing an investigation by the European Union’s European Commission over allegations of receiving illegal financial aid from the government.

For the Spanish Sports Council’s chief and current secretary of state for sport, it is important that perspective is maintained through the EC’s coming actions.

“We are talking about entities, and we have recent data, that have paid over €170m last year,” Cardenal has pressed to Radio Nacional today.

“I wish that the commissioner [Joaquin Almunia], when talking of European aid, does not paint the picture incorrectly.

“I will point out that the taxation support from Spanish teams is much more burdensome, markedly higher than their German counterparts, the British and the French, with the law that they are planning, and even the Italians.

“It is the duty of the commissioner to place this issue in its magnitude. I hope that they bring forward this week’s Press conference so as to prevent deterioration or damage to the image of Spanish football, that their actions taken are inflicting in a very unfair way.”