La Liga President Javier TebasGETTY IMAGES
La Liga clubs on Tuesday approved, by a "wide majority," a salary increase for league President Javier Tebas, according to Alfredo Matilla of AS. The five clubs in the 20-team league that voted against the salary increase included Real Madrid, Celta Vigo and Athletic Bilbao. Tebas, who has received interest from Serie A, which wanted to make him its CEO, has an offer from La Liga that will take his pay from €879,033 (a salary of €629,033 plus bonuses of €250,000) to a base salary of €1.2M ($1.48M), plus up to €250,000 in bonuses. He has "not yet signed the contract," but all the clubs expect that he will. His deal "will include a clause preventing him working at a similar organization for two years after he leaves La Liga" (AS, 2/13).
TAKING SIDES: MUNDO DEPORTIVO reported FIFA rejected the complaint Neymar filed to the int'l body demanding a €40M ($49.4M) bonus from Barcelona. The case "will now be handled by the justice system." Neymar's claim relates to a bonus as part of a renewal he signed with Barcelona before moving to Paris St. Germain. Barcelona refused to pay Neymar the sum because he left the club less than a year after he signed it (MUNDO DEPORTIVO, 2/13).
SAVE THE DATE: In Madrid, Orfeo Suárez reported the Spanish Football Federation's (RFEF) presidential election is scheduled for April 9. The vote on that date "will only be to decide the presidency," which was previously held by Ángel María Villar. Only Spanish Footballers' Association (AFE) President Luis Rubiales "has made public his desire to run for the presidency." Other possible candidates include former Valencia President Manuel Llorente and Juan Luis Larrea, who has been the interim president since Villar stepped down (EL MUNDO, 2/12).
