LaLiga Takes Legal Action Against Players Over Alleged Illegal Strike

omidbasir- LaLiga has decided to pursue legal action against football players for their alleged illegal strike during the ninth matchday of the season, during which players paused the games for 15 seconds. This strike was a contributing factor to the cancellation of the match between Villarreal and Barcelona in Miami.

“What I want to know is whether stopping a match for 15 seconds constitutes a violation of labor regulations, as it is concerning to me that we are subjected to interruptions under the guise of freedom of expression. Rights of this nature should be requested five days in advance,” stated Javier Tebas, president of LaLiga, during a recent breakfast meeting with Europa Press.

He further asserted, “Our players’ union should roll out the red carpet for us every time they see us, because 70% of the revenue we generate from audiovisual rights goes towards their salaries. We are the ones who do the most to ensure they earn more.” Tebas made this remark to David Aganzo, president of the Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE), during a meeting last December.

LaLiga had previously filed a complaint against the players with the Interconfederal Mediation and Arbitration Service (SIMA) and has now escalated the matter to the courts. The AFE has yet to receive notice of this complaint. The union maintains that the pause was “an exercise in freedom of expression and a symbolic protest” that did not disrupt the game or the competition.