“There is no San Mamés case”

Spanish EU competition commissioner, Joaquín Almunia, on Wednesday confirmed reports that the European Commission is to investigate seven Spanish Liga clubs for receiving illegal financial aid. Foreign Minister José Manuel García-Margallo took the unusual step of pre-announcing the probe after a meeting in Brussels on Monday, and named Real Madrid, Barcelona, Osasuna, Athletic Bilbao, Valencia, Elche and Hércules as the clubs that will be looked into. However, the minister erred in one respect: there is to be no investigation into the financing for Athletic’s new San Mamés stadium. “There is no San Mamés case,” Almunia, a lifelong Athletic supporter, said Wednesday.

EU Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly further muddied the waters of the sporting-political soap opera by suggesting that Almunia had contrived to delay the investigation, and claimed he was in a situation of a conflict of interest. Almunia responded on Wednesday: “People cannot pass completely unfounded judgments on the intentions of others. I am not subject to any conflicts of interest.” On Margallo’s forecast that San Mamés was to be included in the overall probe, Almunia said: “Public figures who base their statements on leaks should be asked to ensure that the source of that leak is good.”

“We will not rule out investigating anything, but neither will we announce what we are looking at,” Almunia added. Finance Minister Cristóbal Montoro offered his support to Almunia, citing the Spaniard’s “professionalism.” “I am an Atlético de Madrid supporter and I have no conflict of interest, although a bias toward Atlético weighs heavy on my heart,” the minister said.

We will not rule out investigating anything, but neither will we announce what we are looking at"

There are three open cases open against the Liga clubs. The first involves the fact that Real, Barcelona, Athletic and Osasuna were excluded from a 1990 law obliging all Liga clubs to convert into public limited sports companies, which afforded them substantial tax benefits. A second probe is aimed at a land-swap deal between Real Madrid and the Madrid public administration, which hugely benefited the Bernabéu club. The third line of inquiry is focused on loans granted to Valencia, Elche and Hércules by the regional government of Valencia.

“We will look at everything without hurrying, but also without rest,” Almunia said. “If there was any irregularity in the construction of San Mamés, of which all Athletic fans are proud, we will look at it. We will never rule out investigating a possible case of illegal state aid.”