Real Madrid accused of violating financial fair play, doping with public fund

Real Madrid have been accused of financial doping with public money, a magistrate emeritus of the Supreme Court in Spain, Jose Antonio Martin Pallin makes the claim on national television.

Jose Antonio Martin Pallin used an appearance on national television to accuse Real Madrid, its president Florentino Perez, and the mayor of Madrid Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida. According to him, the reigning La Liga and Champions League holders are violating the rules of Financial Play.

Talking to TVE’s Channel 24, Pallin first addressed an ongoing legal battle regarding the noise generated by concerts held in the newly-rerformed Bernabeu, which have temporarily been put on hold.

Carlo Ancelotti and Real Madrid’s players lift the UEFA Champions League trophy (Photo by Ibrahim Ezzat/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“Noise is a crime against the environment,” Pallin said. “In addition, the responsibility will have to be transferred to the mayor…hopefully there will be a truce and let’s see if they correct it.”

Pallin voiced an opinion that it is “unfeasible to soundproof” the iconic ground, and “absolutely unfeasible according to the technicians who are working on it”.

In his most damning statements, however, Pallin wanted to address “another problem”, which is “that of financing, [of] Financial Fair Play”.

“Because it is doping with public money, with car parks and with activities that are not football or sporting. So, it [Madrid] can even have problems with UEFA,” Pallin went on.

These are serious accusations to make, which Madrid hasn’t responded to yet at the time of publishing.

This also isn’t the first time that such a highly-placed public figure has levelled them at Perez, who has often been in a war of words with his La Liga counterpart Javier Tebas.

Pallin’s comments come on the eve of Madrid getting the defense of its 15th Champions League crown underway with the hosting of Stuttgart at the Bernabeu on Tuesday evening.