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Spanish league: Little chance of averting strike

LFP president Jose Luis Astiazaran said on Thursday there had been "no major progress" in finding a solution to the spat which blew up last month after the league urged Spain's Socialist administration to scrap a rule that one La Liga game per matchday should be shown on free television.

The LFP argues that the move would strengthen clubs' bargaining power in negotiations on audiovisual rights with media firms. It also wants guarantees about how much cash it is entitled to receive from betting and lottery revenue.

Astiazaran said on Thursday he saw "very little chance" of finding a resolution that would prevent the suspension of matchday 30 on the weekend of April 2-3, when La Liga leaders Barcelona are due to play at Villarreal and second-placed Real Madrid host Sporting Gijon.

"The national team is playing on Friday in Granada and we will more or less all be there," he told reporters. "Let's see if we can find some common ground."

The six clubs believe a strike would be "disproportionate, inopportune, against the interest of clubs, the competition and supporters and, what's more, against the law," Sevilla said on their website.