Following the announcement of the latest salary caps for each team in La Liga, La Liga President Javier Tebas and General Manager Javier Gómez discussed the financial situations of clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Sevilla, as well as the league's economic control policies.
Tebas stated that Sevilla's current predicament is related to its long-term participation in European competitions.
“I would particularly like to mention their efforts to restore balance to their budget. Sevilla has participated in the Champions League for many consecutive years, which has brought them more revenue each season, thus enabling them to maintain a high total wage bill. Once they are unable to participate in the Champions League, this revenue will disappear, but player salaries will not drop immediately.”
Tevas believes this is a structural problem in European football. "Clubs that have participated in European competitions for a long time are prone to financial problems once they lose their qualification. To me, this is not entirely a problem of club management, but a structural problem caused by long-term participation in European competitions."
When discussing Barcelona's economic situation, Tebas stated that it's not enough to just look at the size of the club's debt; its revenue and ability to repay it must also be considered.
Gomez pointed out that Barcelona had been in a difficult period, but with increased revenue, improved structural spending, and the recovery of some losses, the team's salary cap has also increased. "They have been constrained for the past few years, but now the losses are gradually recovering, especially with increased revenue and player transfer income, so the salary cap has also risen."
Regarding Barcelona's situation next season, Gomez stated that ticket sales at the Montjuïc Stadium are performing well, and other revenue streams have also increased. He expects the overall revenue situation to improve further once the team returns to the new Camp Nou.
Regarding Real Madrid's significant increase in the salary cap, Gomez stated that this is a normal situation in accordance with current rules.
He explained that some clubs with healthy accounts and sufficient savings can use their accumulated funds to raise the salary cap, up to a maximum increase of 25%. "Applying is one thing, but whether all of it is ultimately used is another."
Gomez stated that Sevilla is expected to gradually return to a balanced budget in the 2026-27 season.
“If you look at the past few seasons, they have already lost 140 million euros. These losses will be a continuous burden, and they will be under pressure until the club recovers and rebalances the losses of the past few years.”
He also believes that Sevilla's failure to qualify for European competitions has a significant impact on their financial situation, saying, "Not playing in European competitions is like being demoted to a lower level."
Tebas stated that La Liga's current Financial Fair Play policy has been accepted by the clubs, and the league will dynamically adjust the rules according to the economic environment.
"The basic formula is income minus structural expenditures, then minus debt; that's the amount of money you can use for player recruitment."
He pointed out that La Liga is not completely prohibiting clubs from increasing spending, but rather gradually easing restrictions while ensuring financial sustainability. Compared to last season, the total wage bill of La Liga clubs has increased by approximately 15%.
Tebas emphasized that the main challenge facing Spanish football over the next five years remains maintaining sustainability. "The facts have proven that we are competitive. If it were me, I wouldn't change anything."
Regarding the question of whether there is an imbalance in competition in La Liga, Tebas said that what really needs to be focused on is not just how many teams will ultimately win the title, but the points gap between the teams.
He believes the new European competition format is further widening the income gap between clubs that participate in and do not. "Football is becoming two tiers: those who play in European competitions and those who don't."
Tebas stated that if a team can achieve over 90 points, then the league's competitiveness is indeed a cause for concern; however, if the champion's points total is below 90, the points are more dispersed, making the competition for the title, European qualification, and relegation even more intense. Regarding Valencia, Tebas indicated that the more pressing concern right now is whether the new stadium can be completed on time.
He believes that a new stadium with a capacity of 70,000 people, along with its surrounding facilities, will bring Valencia revenue capabilities that they currently lack and could potentially help the club enter a new revenue tier.
Tebas stated that Malaga had previously been relegated to the Spanish third division due to severe financial problems, but has gradually recovered. "Big clubs and good management will eventually recover."
Gomez stated that Malaga has now returned to financial balance under judicial receivership.
Tebas stated that Deportivo La Coruña is currently focusing on increasing revenue to prevent losses from further hindering the club's development. He believes it is a club with a clear structure and well-defined goals.
Speaking about Betis, Tebas stated that the team's current revenue level is at least at the level of teams participating in the European group stage. As the competition continues, if the team achieves more victories, this revenue will increase further.
