Tebas concerned by Real Madrid and Barcelona dominance as LaLiga splits in two

Real Madrid and FC Barcelona accounted for more than half of LaLiga’s summer transfer spending, underlining the widening financial gap between Spain’s two giants and the rest of the competition. Javier Tebas has now admitted that the growing divide is becoming a serious concern.

TWO CLUBS DROVE THE MARKET

A calculation published by El Confidencial put LaLiga’s combined summer expenditure at €752 million. It attributed €255 million to Real Madrid, €184 million to Barcelona and €123 million to Atlético Madrid. Based on those figures, Madrid and Barça were responsible for more than 58 per cent of the league’s total spending. Adding Atlético takes the share of the three largest clubs close to 75 per cent.

There is a discrepancy between the available reports. Mundo Deportivo, using Transfermarkt data, listed Real Madrid’s expenditure at €225 million and Barcelona’s at €184 million, with LaLiga clubs spending €748.03 million in total. The difference may reflect methodology or later adjustments to individual fees. Either way, the broader picture does not change: Spain’s summer business was heavily concentrated at the top.

For Barcelona, returning to the group of major spenders provides another convenient symbol of financial recovery. The rest of LaLiga, unfortunately, was not invited to the same shopping trip.

TEBAS WARNS OF A TWO-SPEED GAME

Tebas does not believe the issue begins and ends with Madrid and Barcelona. He pointed instead to the structure of European competitions, arguing that clubs regularly appearing in the Champions League are collecting revenues that allow them to pull further away from domestic rivals.

The LaLiga president described the emerging landscape as “two-speed football”. He also argued that competitiveness cannot be measured solely by counting how many teams are capable of winning the title. The margins of victory and the number of points required to become champion matter as well. In his view, champions repeatedly finishing above 90 points would be a warning sign.

REAL MADRID’S ADVANTAGE HAS SOLID FOUNDATIONS

Real Madrid possess LaLiga’s highest squad-cost limit at approximately €832.8 million. Barcelona sit second on roughly €582.8 million, with Atlético Madrid at €361.3 million. Tebas stressed that these limits represent the maximum permitted cost rather than the amount each club actually spends.

Madrid’s position is supported by its ability to generate revenue. The club closed the 2025/26 season with record operating income of €1.221 billion before player-transfer proceeds. Its greater room for manoeuvre is therefore backed by recurring business strength and accumulated resources from previous years.

Barcelona have also made considerable progress and raised their limit sharply. That improvement does not mean every financial concern has disappeared, even if the surrounding message is already beginning to sound like a completed rescue operation.

THE CHALLENGE GOES BEYOND SPAIN

Tebas sees the divide as a structural problem for European football. Higher Champions League revenues and the Premier League’s aggressive spending model are pushing up both transfer fees and wages. Clubs without regular access to international income are finding it increasingly difficult to keep pace.

Real Madrid cannot reasonably be expected to weaken a model built on record revenue simply to manufacture a closer title race. If LaLiga wants greater balance, it must help its other clubs expand their resources and competitiveness. Concern alone will not turn a two-speed league back into one race.