Spanish football clubs have run up tax debts totalling £625m. £353m is owed by 14 of the 20 clubs in the top division. Athletico Madrid are the worst offenders with debts of £128m but Athletic Bilbao owe nothing.
The situation has caused indignation in Germany with tabloids complaining that the country’s taxpayers are subsidising the wages of top Spanish players.
Spanish football clubs have run up tax debts totalling £625m. £353m is owed by 14 of the 20 clubs in the top division. Athletico Madrid are the worst offenders with debts of £128m but Athletic Bilbao owe nothing.
The situation has caused indignation in Germany with tabloids complaining that the country’s taxpayers are subsidising the wages of top Spanish players.
Governments have felt themselves powerless to do anything about the debts in the past for fear of a backlash by voters. However, the crackdown by Revenue and Customs in Britain has not provoked that sort of reaction with fans focussing their anger on mismanagement by owners.
The new Government in Spain is not prepared to wipe the slate clean.