Spanish MEP
Santiago Fisas claimed that
Bayern Munich "made the initial complaint which has led the
European Commission to order seven La Liga clubs to pay back monies received in illegal state aid." The European Commission "ordered
Real Madrid to reimburse the local city authority" a total of €18.4M ($20.4M), saying it had benefited from an illegal state subsidy. Barcelona-born Fisas, who served as Spain's secretary of state for sport in the '90s, said that "he had heard Bayern had pushed the Commission to investigate and it was strange that other forms of state aid more common in other countries was not being looked at." He said, "At least from what I've heard, the complaint came from Bayern" (
ESPN, 7/6).
EXPULSION CONFIRMED: The
Court of Arbitration for Sport confirmed Albanian side
Skenderbeu's expulsion from the
Champions League qualifying rounds "for match-fixing." CAS said that its "urgent verdict upheld rulings by UEFA's judicial bodies to exclude the Albanian champion." Skenderbeu had been "included in the second-round qualifying draw pending the verdict, and was due to play Hungarian champion Ferencvaros in a two-legged match between July 12 and 20" (
THE STANDARD, 7/6).
AGENT SPEAKS UP: Dutch footballer Wesley Sneijder's agent said that the player will not be "bullied" out of Turkish side Galatasaray amid claims that "he is facing a fine" of over £1.7M ($2.2M).
The Dutchman "has reportedly been hit with the fine after receiving 11 yellow cards for the Turkish giants in the Super Lig last season." Guido Albers, the agent of the former Real Madrid midfielder, said that "there is no intention of Sneijder stumping up the fee." Albers said, "Galatasaray are trying to bully Wesley out of the club" (London DAILY MIRROR, 7/6).
