Attention switches back to La Liga and the three way title race will resume this weekend. Atletico de Madrid and Barcelona are both at home o Saturday and should pick up wins, so Los Blancos likely need to get a result away at Real Sociedad.
But the main talking point in the Madrid press this morning is the trouble engulfing Barcelona. The Catalan club has been banned from making any signing for the next 14 months for repeatedly breaching regulations in signing youth players.
Yesterday, club president Josep Maria Bartomeu made a statement on the situation, denying any wrongdoing, and adding the investigation came about from “an anonymous complaint” from someone trying to “tarnish” the club – a less than subtle hint that someone with links to Real Madrid was behind it all.
Marca and AS have plenty of coverage and carry quotes from Pedro López Jiménez, vice president of Los Blancos and member of FIFA’s EU Social Dialogue Committee. He said: “Real Madrid, nor myself, as a member of FIFA, have anything to do with the sanction handed down to Barcelona.”
Elsewhere, concerns over Cristiano Ronaldo’s tendinitis injury have been allayed for now with news that he will be in the traveling party for the match in San Sebastian. The 29-year-old has been playing through the pain barrier, but should he miss a game it would be a huge loss considering he has scored in his last 10 consecutive matches.
