La Liga 12/13

[Chris]

Really hope that scumbag doesn't end up at City. They are the only league winners I can remember in the 15 years or so who's conduct on the pitch isn't appalling. Wenger, Ferguson and Mourinho have created some disgraceful sides.

[peekay]

Spanish football must change course drastically or it will "kill itself" within five years, according to Jose Maria Gay de Liebana, Spain's most prominent football economist.

Gay de Liebana, an economics professor at the Universidad de Barcelona, was in the city on Thursday making his fifth annual presentation on financial issues facing Spanish and European football.

The well-respected professor stated that La Liga's clubs were increasing their revenues but not quickly enough to cover their costs.

"If things go on like this, Spanish football will kill itself," he said. "A year ago I predicted that La Liga had only ten seasons left, now I see that five more would be a lot."

Gay de Liebana believes that the problems stem from the league's television rights deal, which he thinks should be replaced by a model that raises more money and shares it more equally.

"La Liga's television rights are badly sold because they are shared between two operators, when in the rest of Europe negotiations are with one party," he said. "Also, in my opinion, the Chinese market is wrongly prioritised, when the American and Japanese are more relevant. In this way, the global reach of the contracts should be changed."

One of Gay de Liebana's more speculative solutions for helping Spanish clubs to increase their revenues was to form an Iberian league, including Portugal's big three clubs.

"Today the Spanish league is not of great interest," he said. "Adding a Portuguese part would give us extra glamour, with Porto, Benfica and Sporting Lisbon. It would give us more character."

With Catalan independence currently a hot topic, and the Camp Nou crowd chanting in favour of a break with Spain during Wednesday's 3-2 Champions League win over Spartak Moscow, Espanyol fan Gay de Liebana joked that the formation of a Catalan 'La Liga' would allow his side access to the Champions League, but would be a "disaster" for Barcelona.

"A hypothetical Catalan league would be a disaster at the financial and TV level," he said. "I have a lot of affection for Catalan teams, but Espanyol and Barca need to play in Spain, as do Sabadell, Nastic and Girona."

The economist said he would release more detailed financial details on Europe's top five leagues on Friday and that he was working on research showing the long-term detrimental financial effect that Jose Mourinho's transfer policies had on clubs he managed.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1166215/spanish-football-could-%27kill-itself%27-in-five-years?cc=5901

[Chazza]

Guillem Balague @GuillemBalague

Boycott from someone at Vallecas. cables from lights at stadium been cut and the Rayo-Real Madrid is at best delayed. Public waiting outside

[Phoenix07]

Good thing I saw your post Chazza. I was ready to boot the missus away from X Factor to watch this.

[Chazza]

Match Postponed

[Liverpel]

Real game abandoned after Rayo lights sabotaged
Reuters, Sunday September 23 2012
* Rayo president says lighting cables severed
* Clubs disagree on when game should be played (Adds details)
MADRID, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Real Madrid's La Liga match at city rivals Rayo Vallecano was abandoned in bizarre circumstances on Sunday after Rayo officials said the lighting at their Estadio de Vallecas stadium had been sabotaged.
The game was due to kick off at 930 p.m. local time (1930 GMT) but the stadium was in semi-darkness and fans were still waiting outside the locked arena as workmen toiled to fix the affected lights.
Rayo president Raul Martin Presa said unidentified persons had cut the cables on some of the lights and when it became clear they could not be repaired in time the game was abandoned.
Discussions were underway to try to rearrange the match for Monday, Presa said at an impromptu news conference on the side of the pitch as some of the Real players took the chance to have a light training session.
"There were a huge number of fans waiting and we ask their forgiveness but we hope they understand that these are circumstances beyond the club's control," he said.
"They came here with all the excitement in the world hoping to see their team play one of the best sides in the world.
"Unfortunately due to an act of vandalism we are not going to be able to enjoy this match tonight."
PACKED CALENDAR
Real director of football Miguel Pardeza said the club did not want to risk another lighting failure and wanted to play the match on Monday at 5 p.m. local time (1500).
"We have a very packed calendar and Rayo obviously does not," Pardeza said.
"We have absolutely no responsibility for what has happened here and we have to defend our rights.
"As we have no guarantee that we can play tomorrow at 8 p.m., 5 p.m. tomorrow is when we want to play."
However, Presa told Spanish TV that was "almost impossible" as many Rayo fans would not be able to attend.
The initial message he had received from the professional league (LFP) was that the game would be played at 8 p.m. and Rayo would do everything to ensure the lights were back to normal, he added. (Reporting by Iain Rogers, editing by Ed Osmond)

[Lee]

Very strange.

Not sure why anyone would do that.

[RichC]

wonder if there have been some hefty bets made on an abandoned match

[Lee]

Anything you want to confess to?

[RichC]

I wish I had

[Shaggy]

wonder if there have been some hefty bets made on an abandoned match

I had a quid each way on it being abandoned

[Liverpel]

It's being played tomorrow . 6.45 UK time.

[Shaggy]

Real Madrid are 11 points behind

[Reece]

Barca losing 2-0 at Sevilla.

[Reece]

2-1 now.