Real Madrid and Barcelona could be expelled from the Champions League, in a mad turn of events that no one could have foreseen just days ago
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Real Madrid and Barcelona might be thrown out of the Champions League this season.
Yes – it's a real possibility. The El Clasico giants have 19 titles between them and no other Spanish club has ever won the tournament – yet Real Madrid and Barcelona, plus Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad, who also qualified for the competition last season by finishing in La Liga's top four, plus Europa League winners Sevilla, may all be disqualified.
With Spanish football in crisis, this is another one that can be attributed to Luis Rubiales…
Real Madrid and Barcelona face Champions League expulsion – thanks to Luis Rubiales
Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales could take down Spain's top clubs, after forcing a kiss on Jennifer Hermoso (Image credit: Getty Images)
As reported by Onda Ceroin Spain, the country's football federation (RFEF) are threatening to pull out of UEFA after sending a letter to the European football authority complaining about "government interventionism".
This all follows the controversy over RFEF president Luis Rubiales, who was expected to leave his post at a specially-held assembly last Friday. Rubiales now infamously kissed Spain women's captain Jennifer Hermoso on the lips in the aftermath of La Roja's World Cup triumph in Sydney. The RFEF president claimed it was a consensual kiss: Hermoso does not.
Real Madrid have 14 Champions League titles – but might be kicked out of the competition this time around (Image credit: Getty Images)
Should UEFA call Spain's bluff and allow them to leave UEFA, the nation would automatically forfeit their places in Europe's top competitions. La Liga has five teams in the Champions League, plus Villarreal and Real Betis in the Europa League and Osasuna in the Conference League.
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Then there's the case of Spain at Euro 2024. La Roja are expected to qualify for the tournament in Germany next summer – but this would endanger that.
Onda Cero also reported that the RFEF's letter was sent before FIFA provisionally suspended Rubiales. Interim president Pedro Rocha only learned of its existence because of the radio station's report. The Spanish government has now started legal proceedings against Rubiales over his refusal to resign for his behaviour.
Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.
