Spanish Football Pitch Dominance

As the UEFA Champions League football club best tournament, began his group stage this week, all eyes were on two teams, two in Spanish: Barcelona, ​​the defending champion, and his rival, Real Madrid, that this summer has been unprecedented spending spree for some of the best players in the world.

In the endless debate on which nation can boast of the best national league, the events of the last four months has led many to suggest the balance has tipped decisively toward La Liga at the expense of the English Premier League.

Barcelona won the Champions League last May, and the Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic added it was terrifying for the collection, which includes Argentina star Lionel Messi and Spanish national team vice-captain Xavi Hern? Hernandez. But it was Real Madrid, which has grabbed headlines last summer, breaking the world transfer record twice in a few days to acquire the Brazilian star Kak? Milan is a $ 89 million pier and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United is $ 131 million.

The club has an additional cost of $ 140 million over five players such as striker Karim Benzema of Lyon midfielder Xabi Alonso of Liverpool bringing the total to about $ 360 million and making it easily the most expensive team ever assembled. Real Madrid beat Zurich 5-2 in Tuesday's Champions League match.

It was not just the amount of money spent, which represents a turning point in the game. It was the fact that Real Madrid knocked on the door of their biggest rivals, and forced them to abandon their biggest stars. Imagine Washington Redskins pick Tom Brady New England Patriots, DeMarcus Ware of the Dallas Cowboys, Adrian Peterson of Minnesota, and Asante Samuel, Philadelphia Eagles and you start getting the picture.

The man who made this happen, president of Real Madrid Florentino P? Earth, the media camped outside his door because he was elected to this position on 1 June, which is about how he loves her.

This is Mr. P? Rez second stint in office. The first, between 2000 and 2006, has consistently shown that a combination of showmanship, the dream-and the cold store, the cash can be done. He got into the habit of signing the best player available year after year, often at great expense, and sell the idea that we could build a good team with a half-dozen super-stars and supporting cast of young low-cost. Eventually, the lack of depth the club has come to say, and he resigned in 2006.

This time, Mr. P? Rez is a heavy shopping includes some of the less glamorous players like Raul Albiol professional, defender of Valencia, has acquired $ 21 million.

Whether it is field work, combined with actual consumption Liga Barcelona meet strong aura of glamor. "I think other teams to understand if I said that the two major leagues, the Spanish league and the Premier League," Mr. P? Ground said. "For many years the focus was on the Italian league. It is true that the Premier League has had a major role in recent years. But I will say the Spanish League was always there fighting. "

Highest grossing Club

Mr. P? Soil has a knack for making no events in the phenomenal world of the media, if the release of Mr. Ronaldo in July at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium Club (with 80,000 spectators watching the show to say a few words) or news that Mr. Ronaldo and Kaka? Both had spent more than $ 300,000 for rental housing staff at the Bernabeu. Putting a monetary value on all this is difficult, but these programs also add to the feeling that what is really happening in the Real Madrid, that really matters.

League enthusiasts point out that not only luxury. Even before this summer, Real Madrid and Barcelona have been the world No 1 and 3 clubs edging up, "Football League Money" report, compiled annually by Deloitte and Touche. Seven of the nine votes Getters for the Ballon d'Or award (European football MVP) is now the pursuit of their trade in Spain and the Spanish national team European champion in office. "We are pleased with the level of play in Spain, which I think is where the most cleverly combines the physical play," Mr. P? Rez said.

What says the strength of the League as a whole, or if its business model is too long, this is a different matter. Barcelona and Real Madrid has dominated media attention and the interest of fans in the league, not only nationally, but around the world. This is reflected in their TV contracts, such as Spain, clubs negotiate their own business rights. Both clubs to earn more than $ 125 million office, which last year the number was more than seventeen times larger than the smallest club Numancia.

English Premier League has gone to greater equity, "a rising tide lifts-all-ships" philosophy long pushed American leagues like the NFL. Manchester United in England to defend the Champions, who won Turkey's Besiktas 1-0 in Champions League play Tuesday received the highest transmission and sponsorship victory last season, but it was a pretty lousy $ 85.7 million.

Share spoils

Premier League, Richard Scudamore, chief executive of the league said that distributes its broadcast and sponsorship revenue for the relationship between the teams up and down no more than 1.6 to 1. "In Spain, Italy and even France, which is several times higher," he said. The league allows the most important clubs to compete with their European rivals, says, "while allowing more of our competitors to compete with them."

English clubs have dominated the Champions League, delivered December 9 semifinalists in the last three seasons. Globally, the popularity of the Premier League has been unprecedented. "Our model works for us," said Scudamore.

On Tuesday, the UEFA Executive Committee confirmed the "Financial Fair Play" proposal, which will examine ways to prevent indebted clubs competing in European competitions in 2012.

Anyway, the next Champions League final to be held at the Bernabeu in May, tell us what league has the advantage on the track and possibly the model is the best to promote a league.