Confirmation that the second division will go ahead as planned after a local judge ruled in the LFP’s favour. With the main judge still on holiday and his replacement returning to his old duties, a third judge called an urgent hearing to resolve the outstanding issues. Whilst he agreed that Murcia should be readmitted, he then went on to ratify that they should subsequently be relegated for breaching LFP “economic control” rules. Having said that, he also stated that it was not within the court’s ambit to decide whether Murcia could or could not participate in the “Liga Adelante” this season. All of that meant that the second division will go ahead with 22 teams, with Mirandés reinstated as previously agreed. Murcia are still expected to appeal and the LFP have set aside €4 million in case they have to pay damages, although with many of their players probably leaving the future of the club is now uncertain. (21.08.14)
The LFP decided yesterday to ignore Murcia’s appeal and go ahead with the second division as planned. LFP president Javier Tebas explained that, under the league’s rules, they were unable to apply the court’s decision without the Spanish federation’s approval, and that the RFEF themselves had refused to increase the number of teams above the original 22. With Mirandés already reinstated, that meant that there was no room for Murcia, who in any case had clearly violated the leagues “economic control” rules, and not for the first time. Tebas also said that the on-off league programme will finally go ahead as planned, which means that the first matches will take place this weekend. Murcia will appeal the decision, and have even threatened to take penal action against the LFP, but such actions in Spain are notoriously slow, and could take months or even years. In the meantime the club (who are also banned from making new signings) will have to decide whether they agree to compete in the second division B in the place of Mirandés, which means they will be grouped in the “regional group I - North East”, requiring journeys of a minimum 700 Km every other week from the South West of the country. (19.08.14)
The second division programme has been suspended by the LFP after Murcia won their appeal to the local courts against their relegation! The club were refused registration this summer due to unsettled tax debts, with Mirandés reinstated in their place. However the judge ruled that they should be re-admitted forthwith, and although the Spanish Sports Tribunal issued a decision opposing the court ruling, the LFP have decided to put everything on hold pending a meeting between all parties on Monday 18th. If Murcia are allowed to rejoin, one possibility may be to make the numbers up to an even 24 for this season, presumably with Real Madrid Castilla also called back as the highest ranked of the relegated sides. Any change to the current make-up though would require a new fixture list, and presumably the first matches would then not take place until at least the end of the month. (14.08.14)