La Liga clubs Real Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Athletic Bilbao "are among the clubs who could be asked to repay state aid wrongly paid out," according to FOOTBALL ESPANA. A report in El País said that the European Competition Commission has been "looking into state aid paid and tax breaks given to a number of Spanish clubs and believes the government should seek to recover it." The amount is believed to total €25M ($28.3M) but Brussels "is willing to wait until a new government has been established, as the result of the recent general election has left an uncertain picture." Real Madrid’s involvement relates to a favorable land deal "allegedly given to the club by the Madrid City Council." It is alleged former Madrid Mayor Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón wanted to "gift land" to Real Madrid and when he was prevented from doing so by a change to the law, awarded the club more than €22M in compensation, a figure "significantly higher" than the slightly under €600,000 at which the land was originally valued. Valencia, Hercules and Elche are "also named as having possibly received state aid that would have to be recouped." Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic and Osasuna reportedly "may have received tax breaks that will leave them with a bill to pay" (FOOTBALL ESPANA, 2/11).
