French league chairman slams Spanish counterpart over Mbappe deal

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Following French star Kylian Mbappe's rejection to move to Real Madrid, the French football league accused the Spanish La Liga of “disrespectful smears” and “manifestly false” statements.

Vincent Labrune, the chairman of the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), expressed to his Spanish counterpart, Javier Tebas, his disapproval in “the strongest possible terms” of remarks made on Mbappe's PSG renewal deal.

Following La Liga's criticism of the deal, Labrune accused Tebas of acting inappropriately and making false and hypocritical claims.

On Saturday, La Liga considered that Mbappe's renewal deal “attacks the stability of European football” and “violates current Uefa and French economic control rules."

Addressing Tebas, Labrune said, “Your position lacks of any coherence or self-awareness. In 18 years, only three clubs have won your league, with 16 of those years by two clubs. In that time, seven different Ligue 1 clubs have won our league, while in Germany one team has won the league 10 years in a row this year – yet your focus and attacks remain constant on our league.”

The LFP chairman accused Tebas of disrespecting players that left La Liga for PSG, indicating that “When Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos and others left your league – by choice – last year, rather than acknowledging their [greatness] you commented on their age and brandished our league."

“Now your disrespectful smears seem to be directed towards Kylian Mbappé who is widely acknowledged to be one of the world’s greatest players and who simply didn’t join your league, by choice, despite having received a similar offer,” he concluded his letter to Tebas.

On Wednesday, Tebas considered that “It’s impossible for PSG to comply with financial fair play given their current numbers and the signing of Mbappe."