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Why are Real Madrid and Barcelona boycotting LaLiga’s emergency meeting in Dubai?

LaLiga clubs were notified on November 25 of the emergency meeting in the United Arab Emirates.

Update:
Javier Tebas and Florentino Perez.
JESUS ALVAREZ ORIHUELADIARIO AS

Real Madrid and Barcelona have issued statements criticising LaLiga’s decision to take the Extraordinary General Assembly on 7 December to Dubai.

The clubs were notified on November 25 of the emergency meeting in the United Arab Emirates to consider amendments to LaLiga’s current statutes.

On Wednesday, both Madrid and Barça issued statements saying they would not be sending any representatives.

Real Madrid’s statement reads as follows:

In response to the call to hold a LaLiga Extraordinary General Assembly on 7 December in Dubai, Real Madrid C. F. states the following:

- The notice to hold the Extraordinary General Assembly was issued last Friday 25 November to be held “as a matter of urgency” on 7 December in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with the aim of addressing several important modifications to the statutes and internal regulations of LaLiga. The same announcement states that, with the aim of enabling attendance at the meeting, LaLiga will provide club representatives and their companions appropriate transport and accommodation.

- We believe that the meeting is illegal, given that the clubs are being called to attend the meeting more than 5,000 km away from LaLiga’s headquarters.

- It is completely unjustifiable to address in such an improvised and urgent manner, in the absence of the appropriate discussion and careful analysis, relevant modifications to LaLiga’s internal regulations.

- It is completely inappropriate and deeply incoherent for LaLiga to undertake the economic expense of transporting more than 100 people to hold an event of this nature, at this time of year, in the United Arab Emirates, when the same could be held at LaLiga’s headquarters without involving excessive costs. Clubs are going through very difficult times financially, burdened by the drop in income experienced in recent years, making it incomprehensible that excessive and unnecessary expenses should be incurred, in particular in the current economic climate.

- Real Madrid C.F. will not be sending any representative to Dubai for the reasons stated above and once again laments having to act against the irresponsible actions taken by the president of LaLiga, which are of unjustifiable economic cost and which seriously undermine the image and reputation of Spanish football.

Barça not showing up

FC Barcelona on Wednesday officially confirmed its absence from the Extraordinary General Assembly that LaLiga has called for in Dubai. The Catalan club has argued that it will be absent because it considers that this meeting will vote on a series of very important issues, such as the modification of the Statutes and the General Regulations of LaLiga, “without the requirement of a greater prior debate and a more extensive and participatory analysis” in order to “facilitate the maximum consensus that a reform of this magnitude deserves”.

The Blaugrana club recalls that the club’s position “has always been to reach consensual agreements” once they have been dealt with “with coherence and respect in all positions”.

Hence, Barcelona, presided by Joan Laporta, announces as “inopportune” the trip to Dubai, assuring that this meeting could be held in the usual headquarters of LaLiga and reaffirming its position against “any action that we consider harmful to the rights and interests of Barcelona”.

LaLiga’s version

According to LaLiga, the objective of holding the Assembly in Dubai is due to the intention of taking advantage of the World Cup, believing that the Middle East countries are the epicenter of football, which will improve the image of LaLiga. This is what the employers’ association stated in the statement announcing the celebration of the Assembly in question: “The World Cup break will also be used as an opportunity for LaLiga clubs to immerse themselves in the territory. To this end, they will travel to Dubai, where a General Assembly is scheduled to be held. As part of this assembly, the clubs will learn more about the specificities of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)”.

“An immersion that seeks to facilitate the internationalisation of clubs in these countries and to help them get closer to local fans. Getting to know first-hand the entertainment consumption habits of its inhabitants, the industry or the type of companies that develop their activity in the territory will be key for LaLiga clubs to better direct their efforts when it comes to expanding in this area. In addition, during the days of this immersion, networking sessions will be held with other clubs, companies and public institutions in the territory, which will facilitate new partnership, investment and projection opportunities in the MENA region”, concluded the LaLiga press release.