The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) "is trying to salvage the biggest sponsorship agreement in its history," which "broke down" on Saturday due to a threat from FIFA, which said that Spain could miss the 2018 World Cup, according to Joaquín Maroto of AS. The RFEF "had reached a deal with Azerbaijan," which was going to pay €50M ($59.4M) to become the principal sponsor of Spain for the next five years. The subject "has caused a schism within the RFEF, as Marketing Dir Vicente Casado and Sporting Dir Fernando Hierro had to cancel a flight to Baku just before it was supposed to take off." Casado "did not respond to a request for comment." RFEF sources said that it is "not understood why the news from FIFA broke the same weekend when the deal was going to be signed." Azerbaijan "is demanding that FIFA confirm Spain's participation in the 2018 World Cup before it signs the deal" (AS, 12/20).
CHANGE OF PLANS: In Madrid, Miguel Ángel Lara reported an extraordinary general assembly “that would focus on a motion of censure” against suspended RFEF President Ángel María Villar, planned for Jan. 16, “has been suspended.” The RFEF said that the meeting will be rescheduled once the general assembly “has been correctly formed” (MARCA, 12/20).
