DERMOT CORRIGAN: Exodus proves it’s no longer a Liga of its own
But instead, recent days have brought about a growing realisation that an extraordinary exodus of Primera Division playing and coaching talent has already begun.
On Monday, it was announced that Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho was leaving “by mutual consent” after finally running out of friends at the Bernabeu.
Confirmation came on Tuesday that Real Sociedad coach Philippe Montanier was also going, despite having guided his side to the brink of Champions League football. Then on Wednesday, Manuel Pellegrini admitted he was leaving Malaga after finally losing patience with the club’s erratic owners.
All these stories shared a theme. Montanier is joining French side Rennes, who have just finished 11th in the Ligue 1 table, but are bankrolled by billionaire François Pinault. Pellegrini said he was leaving for a “new sporting project which allows me to feel fulfilled” which everyone assumes will be Manchester City. Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will reportedly give Mourinho €100 million to spend on his return to Stamford Bridge.
It is not just La Liga’s top coaches who are packing their bags, mind. Atletico Madrid’s star striker Radamel Falcao is reportedly joining Monaco for €60 million. The nouveau riche French club are also interested in Barcelona pair Victor Valdes and Dani Alves, while David Villa could join Arsenal or Spurs.
Athletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente has already agreed to join Italian champions Juventus. Malaga’s Isco and Jeremy Toulalan, Sevilla’s Alvaro Negredo and Jesus Navas, Valencia’s Roberto Soldado and Jeremy Mathieu and Atletico’s Arda Turan could all also leave Spain.
Meanwhile, Deportivo la Coruna announced last week it was cancelling the club’s pay — TV subscription, and turning off the WIFI in the Riazor press box, to cut costs.
This was a gimmick aimed at turning attention away from more serious debts, which total €150 million and include €94 million in tax arrears. Pushed by administrators, Depor’s directors know they must tighten their belts.
Similar economising steps are underway throughout La Liga, whose 20 clubs have combined debts of around €2 billion. Of the supposed ‘second tier’ clubs behind Madrid and Barcelona only Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad are in reasonable financial shape. Atletico, Valencia, Malaga, Real Betis and Sevilla will all likely sell their best player this summer regardless of qualifying for European competition next season.
Even Madrid’s talisman Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly been targeted by both PSG and Monaco, who can offer a €20m net annual salary that the Bernabeu club would struggle to match. Blancos president Florentino Perez is known for his ‘galacticos’ transfer policy, but it appears he must now sell to buy — ‘for sale’ signs are currently hung on first-teamers including Gonzalo Higuain, Luka Modric, Angel di Maria and Fabio Coentrao.
Barcelona announced over the weekend they had agreed to sign Santos starlet Neymar, but the Catalan club have spent the last two years haggling over a price.
For some years now Spanish football has been able to point to Mourinho, Leo Messi, Ronaldo, Josep Guardiola, Falcao et al as proof they had ‘the greatest league in the world’.
But the longed for ‘clasico’ Champions League final between Guardiola’s Barca and Mourinho’s Madrid never happened, and both coaches will be elsewhere next season.
The national team continue to do well, but its best young players — Juan Mata, David de Gea and Javi Martinez — have already left the country, while Isco and even Barca’s Thiago Alcantara could be playing in England or Germany next season. More than half of Vicente del Bosque’s squad for Brazil 2014 could well play their club football outside Spain.
As the curtain previously held in place by the Big Two’s all-consuming rivalry falls away, the pretty disastrous picture it once hid is being revealed.
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