Spanish players are resolute that they will begin a strike on Friday for the first time in 27 years if a last-ditch negotiation does not produce common ground. Discussions between theAssociation of Spanish Soccer Players (AFE) and Spanish league officials have not produced an agreement. The two sides are scheduled to meet again Friday, the day before the season opens.
“I think Spanish soccer could learn quite a bit from English soccer in this case,” said midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who just transferred from Arsenalto Barcelona. “In England, the management is so well organized all we do is just play soccer.”
According to the players, more than 200 of them are owed upto $72 million in unpaid salaries and they want contract guarantees written into a new collective bargaining agreement. Under Spain’s bankruptcy law, insolvent clubs canre-negotiate or defer paying player salaries — just like other outstanding debts –while under bankruptcy protection.
Legislation is already making its way through the Spanish parliamentthat would drop clubs to the third division if they become insolvent. Similar punishments have been applied to clubs in many leagues around the world. But the Spanish regulations, if they pass intolaw, don’t take effect until the end of the season. Six La Liga clubs and many in the second division are in bankruptcy protection.