The next couple of weeks could be a little awkward for La Liga president Javier Tebas, a figure who has led the fight against the riches of the Premier League and also managed to anger his own league’s biggest clubs.
Tebas is a one-man quote machine on the financial disparity between Premier League clubs and the rest of Europe, saying as recently as last month that the league was “not financially sustainable”, although Manchester United and their three loan signings might be evidence not every club has splashed the cash as wildly as Chelsea.
But if Tebas is trying to represent the interests of his own league, he’s also been critical of Real Madrid and Barcelona, particularly over their breakaway attempts with the European Super League and the financial problems at the Nou Camp.
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Tebas’ loyalties will lie in Madrid and Barcelona over the next month, however, when two iconic European fixtures take place. The only shame is that United vs Barcelona is the Europa League, rather than the Champions League.
It is Europe’s premier competition where Liverpool meet Real Madrid, a re-run of last season’s final and possibly the last Champions League fixture taking place at Anfield for a while.
These games again feel like a referendum on the shift in the balance of power between England and Spain. The cash is in the Premier League now, but there remains a romance in heading to the Bernabeu or the Nou Camp.
It does feel like that is beginning to change, however. Erling Haaland opted for the Premier League and Manchester City last summer and United have signed Raphael Varane and Casemiro from Real over the past 18 months.
They also pushed hard to sign Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona in the summer. There were reports in Spain that it was a move the Holland international didn’t want, but given his relationship with Erik ten Hag, United wouldn’t have pushed for as long as they did without believing it was a realistic possibility.
It might still be a dream for some players to play in the iconic white of Real, or the red and blue of Barcelona, and it can be great for the brand, but it does feel like the Premier League is now where the true competition is, both domestically and when it comes to European titles. English clubs have been in four of the last five Champions League finals and two of them have been all-Premier League affairs. Those games featured four different Premier League clubs.
So it feels like there’s a lot riding on these European games for Real Madrid, Barcelona and La Liga. Real will be favourites to beat Liverpool again, especially as Jurgen Klopp’s side are languishing in mid-table in the Premier League.
There is also a sense Barcelona are getting back to their best. They’ve won eight successive games heading into Thursday’s first leg and are 11 points clear at the top of La Liga. If Spain’s best team can’t beat England’s third-best team over two legs, what does it say about the relative strength of those leagues?
It does feel like the best players in Europe are starting to see the value of moving to the Premier League. United will hope that is the case with Napoli striker Victor Osimhen.
The Nigerian is a target for the summer but is going to be one of the most in-demand strikers in the transfer window. He looks certain to fire Napoli to the Serie A title and they are contenders for the Champions League as well.
United could face domestic competition for the 24-year-old, but there is also speculation that Real Madrid will target the forward, aware that the clock is ticking on finding a replacement for Karim Benzema.
Ten Hag also remains keen on De Jong. He has established himself as a key player under Xavi this season at Barcelona, but his high wages and the club's financial issues could force a sale. If the Premier League can flex its muscles over the next few weeks, then it could help make Old Trafford an even more popular destination for players this summer.
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