La Liga on the Brink: Tebas Faces Dismissal Amid Barcelona Controversy
22 November 2025
Background and Allegations
In Spain, tensions in football intensify as La Liga president Javier Tebas faces a potential removal following a formal investigation by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) into alleged breaches of confidentiality surrounding Barcelona and a controversial meeting with Athletic Bilbao. The case adds fuel to a heated dispute between Tebas, Barcelona, and the sport’s regulatory authorities.
According to the Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, the CAS decision came after a complaint filed by the Higher Sports Council on October 20, outlining concerns about Tebas’s conduct and the handling of sensitive information tied to Barça and a meeting with Athletic Bilbao.
Details trace back to a complaint by Miguel Galán, head of the CinA academy, who in August argued for Tebas’s dismissal on multiple grounds tied to privacy violations in visitors’ lounges at Barcelona’s stadium and the aforementioned meeting with Athletic Bilbao.
Five alleged violations
The first violation dates to April 2 of the current year, when La Liga reportedly refused to allow a luxury-use deal for Barcelona valued at €100 million, a decision later questioned after Catalan auditors’ reports.
The second violation concerns the removal of these details from the league’s website after Barcelona challenged them, a deletion that occurred despite the absence of a formal complaint to the Higher Sports Council.
The third involves a supposed Tebas–Athletic Bilbao meeting, reportedly to discuss the possibility of paying the release clause for Nico Williams, with Bilbao querying Barça’s financial status.
The fourth relates to Tebas’s public statements suggesting Barcelona had not met the “1-1” threshold of fair play financial compliance.
The fifth concerns confidentiality over a letter dated March 28 to the Higher Sports Council about Dani Olmo’s case, deemed by the complaint as financially and reputationally harmful to Barcelona.
Current information suggests La Liga has not yet received formal notification of an open investigation. Nevertheless, Tebas faces potential sanctions ranging from a formal reprimand to suspensions of varying lengths or even removal if the alleged violations are proven.
Javier Tebas’s career in Spanish football
Javier Tebas is widely regarded as one of the most influential and controversial figures in Spanish football in recent decades, shaping La Liga’s modern landscape since becoming its president in 2013. Born in 1962, Tebas moved to Spain at a young age, studied law, and later specialized in sports administration, paving the way for an early entry into football governance.
He began as a legal advisor for several clubs, gaining insight and influence within sports institutions. In the 1990s, Tebas participated in projects related to club management before rising within La Liga, helping craft rules on broadcasting rights and debt settlement for member clubs.
Under Tebas, La Liga pursued a more centralized broadcasting model and expanded international marketing to raise the league’s profile and revenue. He also pushed for tighter financial oversight and adherence to sustainable budgeting, contributing to debt reduction and economic stability across clubs.
Yet the era has not been without strife. Tebas has faced persistent criticism for perceived meddling in club affairs and for aggressive enforcement of financial fair play regulations, including clashes with Barcelona and its former president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, as well as with Real Madrid’s Florentino Pérez, particularly around European Super League prospects. Some fans have petitioned for relocation of certain La Liga fixtures abroad, though the full relocation plan has yet to be realized.
