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La Liga president Javier Tebas has admitted in an interview with AS that he has been a lifelong supporter of Spanish giants Real Madrid ahead of El Clasico. Tebas will witness his favourite club battle their arch-rivals Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.
Being football's biggest club rivalry, the game between Los Blancos and Barcelona will be watched all over the world, as both teams will battle it out against each other to steal a march over the other in the race for the Liga title.
Despite admitting his admiration and love for the 10-time European champions, Tebas has remained adamant that it plays no part in his decision-making as the Spanish top flight’s head man.
However, it would be hard to convince fans at Catalunya against a possible case of conflict of interest by Tebas after there had been claims about a linesman being told to favour the Bernabeu side in the highly-anticipated encounter.
“If I say I don’t support Madrid, then that would be hypocritical and I would be painted as a liar,” he said.
“And I certainly don't like to be called a liar.”
“Imagine if I said that I loved all teams, and then it came out that I supported Madrid since I was a boy, went to 27 Clasicos in the past, that I celebrated Madrid wins with friends in a bar.”
“I prefer to call it as it is.”
Tebas refuses the possibility of staging El Clasico outside Spain
The La Liga chief was also questioned about the possibility of staging El Clasico outside Spain, but Tebas has denied it by insisting that it’s a ‘key game in the league’ and has a ‘huge international prestige.’
“The Clasico will never be played outside of Spain,” he replied.
“It's a key game in our league competition and has huge international prestige.”
“We'll study the possibility of playing certain games outside of Spain but at present this initiative doesn't form part of our international expansion plans.”
I would like to see Rooney and De Gea in La Liga: Tebas
While the Spanish league is home to numerous global superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar, Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez, Tebas has admitted he would love to see the arrival of Premier League players like Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney and David De Gea to the Spanish top-flight.
“I'd like to have seen Rooney play in Spain,” he added.
“I'd like to have seen a Premier League icon play in our league [...] [David] de Gea is one of the best goalkeepers in the world and I wish he played in our league, regardless of who for.”
