War council inside La Liga: Barcelona return to the delegates' committee at the height of the Real Madrid and Tebas crisis
The "Nazi comparison" crisis erupts
On a charged and unprecedented day in the history of Spanish football, La Liga announced the formation of its new delegates' committee, one of the most powerful, most influential and most secretive bodies in the game, just as the fiercest verbal crisis yet erupted between president Javier Tebas and Real Madrid.
Friday's announcement landed hours after a serious escalation in which Tebas compared the methods of Real Madrid's television channel to the propaganda techniques of Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels. Real Madrid hit back with a strongly worded official statement demanding Tebas resign immediately as head of La Liga and as first vice-president of the Spanish Football Federation.
A surprise return and posts retained
Spanish newspaper "AS" revealed that Real Madrid keep their controversial seat on the committee in the new line-up as a member, while Atletico Madrid chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin stays on as first vice-president.
The headline development, though, is Barcelona's surprise return. They walked away two years ago, abruptly and without warning, in protest at the way the league was being run.
Why is it the most powerful committee in Spain?
The delegates' committee is no mere formality. It is the real kitchen, where decisive strategic decisions get taken without any need to refer back to the general assembly.
Projects that changed the competition's future started life inside that room, among them the "Impulso" plan and the controversial agreement with the CVC investment fund. It is also where amendments to the financial fair play regulations are first discussed.
One room: all the conflicts
The new line-up amounts to a "war council", gathering every party to the currently open conflicts in a single room:
First, the direct confrontation between Tebas and Real Madrid, which hit its peak today. Florentino Perez will not attend in person, with deputy general manager Begona Sanz representing the club instead.
Second, the new conflict between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, rooted in the Julian Alvarez case that set the two clubs against each other this summer. All of which comes as Barcelona's relationship with Tebas shows a marked improvement.
Completing the committee are clubs regarded as part of the Tebas camp: Sevilla, Alaves, Villarreal and Eibar, who will hold the post of second vice-president. The second division representatives are still to be determined.
