Joan Laporta

[Maradona37]

I will forever call the 2010-19 years as a decade of lost opportunities for La Liga. Spanish clubs were dominating in Europe and we had a Messi vs CR rivalry alongside other great players like Neymar (a highly marketable player who could bring money to the league on his own) - Xavi, Iniesta, Modric, Kroos, Benz,... in the big two while Atleti, Sevilla and other clubs had some good players too (though obviously not as marketable).

But La Liga just didn't know how to capitalize enough on that period. Imagine if CR would stay at United in his prime years and Messi would play for City or Liverpool. PL clubs would have two or three times more money today than they already have. Simple fact is PL knows how to sell their product, LL don't.

I've said it many times before (half-jokingly) that PL needs their version of Thebes. Someone who would keep clubs more responsible in their spending. Money would still flow in but clubs would think twice before spending 100m on Antonys of this world. PL FFP/PSR is a joke, we all know that so longterm having a more strict financial (spending) policy would help clubs to improve their decision making and invest their money better.

And OTOH La Liga needs marketing people who knows how to bring money to the league. Tebas is focusing on club's expenses way too much and forgeting the other side of the balance sheet. In theory it's fine to say he wants to keep clubs financially responsible and not get into too much debt (are the clubs really succeding in that though?) but if you want to progress you have to invest. Majority of La Liga clubs are not allowed to do that. Instead they are living in the world where they have to sell their best player(s) every summer (usually under their market price) just to survive and mostly replace them with fringe cheap veterans and loanees.

I would understand if a club like Sevilla would sell Bade and Lukebakio for 50m and then could afford to re-invest most of that money (let's say 30-40m) to sign 4-5 good players (rather than replace them with way over the hill veterans like Alexis and Azpi). That's what most midtable clubs in other leagues are doing and Sevilla in their best years under Monchi were also always a selling club while also staying competitive not only in La Liga but also Europe. Losing two quality starters would still suck but at least they would have a chance to improve overall depth at least and in the end could potentially even improve as a team if new signings would pay off.

First they would ofc still have to recognize and sign the right players for that money to be considered well spend but that would be on their scouts and sporting department. If they would fail then would be their own fault. But I think clubs should be in a position where their success on the pitch is mostly dependent on their SD, coaches and players rather than purely financially based decisions. And in La Liga we are far from that situation. Obviously each club is responsible for their own finances but La Liga should help rather than restrict them and also do a better job to bring more money to the league.

We now have a young superstar (Lamine) and stars in their prime years (Mbappe, Vini) but that is still far from enough to compete with a media hyped PL, especially considering a dire lack of talent in mid-and-lower table clubs who are primarily looking to survive day to day rather than stay competitive or having much hope for a longterm progress.

Posts like this are why you're one of my favourite posters on here. Take a bow.

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

Posts like this are why you're one of my favourite posters on here. Take a bow.

we love 983 but he can become an even greater legend on bf when he finally boards the Hansi-ship

 

[Maradona37]

we love 983 but he can become an even greater legend on bf when he finally enters the Hansi-ship

I like that he isn't afraid to have a minority opinion as relates to forum consensus. He backs me on Lewa as well.

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

I like that he isn't afraid to have a minority opinion as relates to forum consensus. He backs me on Lewa as well.

but he is wrong though...only pro-Hansi is the right answer!

 

[jamrock]

Well said.

Like I said somewhere here a few weeks ago, the EPL was hyping and selling itself as the best league in the world about 10 years before it ever was that.

No one associated with la Liga used those words, they are just so horrible at marketing.

Also what happen with Sevilla needs to be studied, because I'm at a Lost as to what happen with them.

 

[JamDav1982]

The EPL and pundits have for most part always said Barca and Real are the ultimate destinations for players.. although changing a bit in recent years.

By and large there is not enough eyes on La Liga games outwith top 2 to care about if they call themselves the best in the world anyway.

 

[Porque]

I will forever call the 2010-19 years as a decade of lost opportunities for La Liga. Spanish clubs were dominating in Europe and we had a Messi vs CR rivalry alongside other great players like Neymar (a highly marketable player who could bring money to the league on his own) - Xavi, Iniesta, Modric, Kroos, Benz,... in the big two while Atleti, Sevilla and other clubs had some good players too (though obviously not as marketable).

But La Liga just didn't know how to capitalize enough on that period. Imagine if CR would stay at United in his prime years and Messi would play for City or Liverpool. PL clubs would have two or three times more money today than they already have. Simple fact is PL knows how to sell their product, LL don't.

I've said it many times before (half-jokingly) that PL needs their version of Thebes. Someone who would keep clubs more responsible in their spending. Money would still flow in but clubs would think twice before spending 100m on Antonys of this world. PL FFP/PSR is a joke, we all know that so longterm having a more strict financial (spending) policy would help clubs to improve their decision making and invest their money better.

And OTOH La Liga needs marketing people who knows how to bring money to the league. Tebas is focusing on club's expenses way too much and forgeting the other side of the balance sheet. In theory it's fine to say he wants to keep clubs financially responsible and not get into too much debt (are the clubs really succeding in that though?) but if you want to progress you have to invest. Majority of La Liga clubs are not allowed to do that. Instead they are living in the world where they have to sell their best player(s) every summer (usually under their market price) just to survive and mostly replace them with fringe cheap veterans and loanees.

I would understand if a club like Sevilla would sell Bade and Lukebakio for 50m and then could afford to re-invest most of that money (let's say 30-40m) to sign 4-5 good players (rather than replace them with way over the hill veterans like Alexis and Azpi). That's what most midtable clubs in other leagues are doing and Sevilla in their best years under Monchi were also always a selling club while also staying competitive not only in La Liga but also Europe. Losing two quality starters would still suck but at least they would have a chance to improve overall depth at least and in the end could potentially even improve as a team if new signings would pay off.

First they would ofc still have to recognize and sign the right players for that money to be considered well spend but that would be on their scouts and sporting department. If they would fail then would be their own fault. But I think clubs should be in a position where their success on the pitch is mostly dependent on their SD, coaches and players rather than purely financially based decisions. And in La Liga we are far from that situation. Obviously each club is responsible for their own finances but La Liga should help rather than restrict them and also do a better job to bring more money to the league.

We now have a young superstar (Lamine) and stars in their prime years (Mbappe, Vini) but that is still far from enough to compete with a media hyped PL, especially considering a dire lack of talent in mid-and-lower table clubs who are primarily looking to survive day to day rather than stay competitive or having much hope for a longterm progress.

Great post.

Even half a decade before that we had Beckham versus Ronaldinho so the period of LaLiga potential started five years earlier even.

The league wanted to democrotise the tv rights by having them more equitable, and even doing so with a raise in global rights sales, failed to create a system where the Spanish clubs outside of Barca and Real could be competitive on the transfer market.

 

[Porque]

The EPL and pundits have for most part always said Barca and Real are the ultimate destinations for players.. although changing a bit in recent years.

By and large there is not enough eyes on La Liga games outwith top 2 to care about if they call themselves the best in the world anyway.

Feck im Spatalan and you wouldn't find me watching a LaLiga game hardly outside the big two.

Said a few years ago on this forum but it's not even about watching LaLiga versus the EPL now for a global fan. It's about which big games to watch at a certain time from around Europe.

On a Sunday evening a big Porkchop game is more enticing than two no name LaLiga games.

Or on a Sunday afternoon a top 4 Bundesliga game is more interesting than a mid table LaLiga game.

And this is mostly down to Spanish clubs have no drawing power with top signings.

 

[jamrock]

I'm not going so far as to say a top 4 budesliga has more draw than mid table LA Liga game.

What even is the top 4 in Germany, Bayern, durtmond who else.

Back in the day and I don't mean that long ago Villarreal vs Sevilla is a better watch and would draw more neutrals than Bayern vs Bayer, because we all know what would happened then.

La Liga was falling behind and failing to take advantage of its completive advantage for a long time as it relates to marketing, even had its teams dominated and took advantage on their competitive advantage on the field.

Then COVID and Tebas austerity happened and it's just got much much worse.

I'm just glad, laporta has the good sense of not follow that dumb shit, we would be so fucked as the EPL big teams, bayern and Madrid leave us in the dust, as we try to get things right.

 

[serghei]

All of that talk about pull and money has been taken too far. Spain still produces the best players in Europe and is the reigning Champion of Europe. And most of the best Spanish players play in Spain. On top of Spain being the biggest destination for South American market. This will not change much imo. Money doesn't matter much if the best players are produced outside of the league having that money and are near impossible to sign.

Spain won Euro last summer with mostly La Liga players. Sure EPL teams can sign unproven players from Bilbao and Sociedad for tens of millions, but not likes of Pedri, Yamal, etc. They can sign South American players, but likes of Martinelli, or Joao Pedro, not likes of Vinicius, or Valverde.

Big 2 of La Liga maintain the differential elite players. And the biggest reasons likes of Arsenal or City signed some talents from La Liga, like Rodri, Merino, Zubi, it's because they have Spanish managers.

It's all imported using the money, it is not built organically. So, relax.

Pep being stressed out and possibly past it and fatigued... this will hurt the EPL more than money can fix.

As long as they import things, English football will never really take off. And when they import managers from Spanish football school, so many of them, it's also a silent admittance that that school is superior to their own view of football in general. Money alone won't make up for the disparity of talent and knowledge.

 

[serghei]

There's 3 things that need to happen for EPL to make their funding matter in football terms and actually establish a hegemony. Dominate Europe, sign bigger players, elevate their academies. Neither objective has been reached in the slightest.

 

[JamDav1982]

What is 'dominating europe'?

Barca, Real, Bayern and PSG etc should always be right up there with the best from EPL and vice versa.

Even the EPL fans realise that most players want to go to Real/Barca.

The EPL across the board dwarfs likes of La Liga for quality after the 2 or 3.

 

[serghei]

Then what is the superiority about. Money? That's it? They don't award titles for that.

 

[JamDav1982]

Then what is the superiority about. Money? That's it? They don't award titles for that.

Of course money plays a huge part.

EPL I wouldnt expect the top teams to dominate Real/Barca/Bayern etc.

But below that it is far far higher quality than La Liga across the board when look down the league and players worth watching.

 

[serghei]

Of course money plays a huge part.

EPL I wouldnt expect the top teams to dominate Real/Barca/Bayern etc.

Apparently, money is not enough to dominate the beast teams from other leagues.

That's what you need to do to establish dominance.