Spain's CSD sends Tebas' Real Madrid remarks to sports tribunal: possible fine or ban

Spain's Higher Sports Council has referred to the Administrative Court of Sport the statements LaLiga president Javier Tebas made about Real Madrid on October 16 in a post on X. In that message, Tebas compared the club's communication methods to the “propaganda mechanisms exploited by Goebbels, Nazi Germany's propaganda minister.” The court now has the final say on whether those words deserve disciplinary proceedings.

• Spain's CSD sends Tebas' October 16 social media post about Real Madrid to the sports tribunal.
• The court must decide whether to open a case or dismiss it for lack of legal grounds.
• The alleged offense would be classified as serious: public reprimand, a fine from 600.01 to 3,000 euros, or a ban of one month to two years.
• It would be the third case against Tebas in recent years; the previous two ended without firm sanctions.

What the sports tribunal must now decide about Tebas' Real Madrid comments

The Administrative Court of Sport must rule on whether to open disciplinary proceedings against Javier Tebas or dismiss the matter because it considers there is no sufficient legal basis to continue. If the court decides to move forward, it must gather all relevant documentation and send a statement of charges to the LaLiga president so he can exercise his right to defend himself.

The sanction Tebas could face if the court opens a case

Classifying the facts as a serious infringement exposes Tebas to a public reprimand, an economic fine ranging from 600.01 to 3,000 euros, or even a ban from holding positions in sports organizations for a period between one month and two years. The final decision will depend on how the court assesses the severity of the comparison made on social media.

The two previous disciplinary cases against the LaLiga president

If opened, it would be the third case against Tebas in recent years. The previous two ended without firm sanctions. The first came in July 2024 following a complaint filed by Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez over the calling of the 2021 LaLiga assembly that discussed the CVC deal.

The Administrative Court of Sport only partially upheld that complaint: it reproached Tebas for calling the August 12 assembly with less than ten days' notice and without justifying its urgent nature. However, it rejected the indications about how documentation was sent to LaLiga members and ruled out a possible conflict of interest for the league's president. The case closed in September with a public reprimand.

The CENAFE complaint that was dismissed without punishment

The second case was closed without any sanction on July 30. It had been opened by the Administrative Court of Sport after a complaint filed in August 2025 by Miguel Galán, president of CENAFE, before CSD president José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes. Galán requested that Tebas be charged with very serious infractions for breaching the duty of neutrality, and even demanded his removal from office.

The origin of that complaint was the public disclosure, through a statement published on April 2, 2025 on LaLiga's website, of information and data that Barcelona had submitted in compliance with the Rules for the Preparation of Club and SAD Budgets. A year later, the file was closed without sanction.

The ongoing conflict between Tebas and Real Madrid

The relationship between Javier Tebas and Real Madrid is going through one of its most tense periods. The Spanish club remains locked in a dispute with the league over audiovisual rights distribution, the Super League project and refereeing decisions. In this climate, the LaLiga president's public statements about the Madrid club have become a recurring issue that now reaches the sports justice system.