The Spanish Footballers' Association (AFE) turned into the Spanish Football League (LFP) 210 claims for quantities owed to players in La Liga and the second division, according to AS. This number "represents an increase from last year," when 191 claims were made. At the same time, the number of clubs accused of owing players jumped from 18 last year to 25 this year, but the total quantity demanded dropped from €22.8M last year to €19.1M ($20.68M) this year. Once the claims have been presented, "the clubs can present their allegations" to the AFE-LFP Mixed Commission. The AFE said, "From the AFE we will not rest in calling for the urgent modification of the current model of management in Spanish professional football, which, strangely, Spain's government is not only defending, but reinforcing" (AS, 7/19).
TRIAL SUSPENDED: In Madrid, Juan Jiménez reported the LFP and AFE have reached an agreement to suspend until Oct. 15 the trial for the strike that the AFE called in May -- which was declared illegal "before it could take place." Monday's announcement that the trial will be pushed back to October "has been the second delay," as it was previously scheduled for June 17, "but both parties delayed it to avoid arriving in court again." LFP President Javier Tebas and AFE President Luis Rubiales "met without success on Friday in an attempt to reach an agreement to avoid a trial." The trial will address the LFP's claim that the called strike was "illegal," while the AFE counters that it deserves certain guarantees from the Real Decreto (AS, 7/20).
