Real Madrid is holding Barcelona hostage, says La Liga president

Javier Tebas thinks Florentino Perez is manipulating Barcelona

La Liga president Javier Tebas has fanned the flames of his feud with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez. In a recent interview, Tebas has boldly claimed that Real Madrid has put La Liga rivals FC Barcelona through some form of "psychological kidnapping" in relation to the controversial CVC investment deal.

ESPN shared excerpts from an interview published by Sport on Sunday. In it, Tebas slammed the perceived alliance between Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and his Barcelona counterpart Joan Laporta.

First, the two clubs' ongoing involvement in the derailed European Super League received criticism from the La Liga president. He mocked the project, calling it a "joke" before comparing it to a shipwreck, with the nine other participants having abandoned ship. Now, only the two Spanish giants and Serie A outfit Juventus are still linked to the breakaway tournament.

Tebas then jumped to the topic of the €2.7 billion investment deal between La Liga and CVC Capital Partners, which was rejected by the two clubs despite approval from 38 other clubs in both the first and second division in Spain.

"I have the feeling that at Barca there's a 'psychological kidnapping' regarding Florentino, like an inferiority complex," Tebas claimed.

He then proceeded to explain why he feels Perez is able to manipulate Laporta into supporting his plans. "Florentino is a very intelligent guy and Jose Angel Sanchez, his director general, is the most empathetic man in European football. All that glamour and know-how, up against someone [Barca president Joan Laporta] who's been outside the world of football for more than 10 years."

He also claimed that Barcelona had originally agreed to the CVC deal until Perez rejected it. He thinks that the Catalan giants made a U-turn on their decision under the direction of Perez.

On top of that, Tebas says that it does not make sense for Barcelona to reject the deal, especially as it would have helped them extend Lionel Messi's contract.