La Liga managers have come together and reportedly threatened the Spanish top division’s chiefs with strike action for the first time in the division’s history as they look to protest over the treatment of coaches post-sacking.
In recent times, Ernesto Valverde, Xavi Hernandez, Ronald Koeman and Quique Setien have all seen their respective tenures cut short and the case of the former – alongside Alvaro Cervera’s sacking – is said to have been a major trigger for action.
Following the all-manager meeting on Tuesday, they are now set to meet with the league’s higher-ups to come to a joint solution, otherwise they are set to propose a first-of-its-kind long-term strike that will have huge repercussions.
Managers Outlined Their Frustrations at Recent Meeting
Chiefs threaten to go on strike
While La Liga-based managers spend their weekends going toe to toe with each other in a bid to rise up the standings, they do come together once a year to discuss all things management, including the issues surrounding non-payment in the event of a sacking.
And in Tuesday’s instalment of the yearly get-together in Las Rozas, Madrid, those present – including Barcelona’s Hansi Flick, Carlo Ancelotti of Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone – gathered to discuss their plan of action in the wake of two of their most recent sackings.
A collection of managers are, according to Spanish outlet Marca, unhappy about not being paid after being given the axe and have drawn on two recent incidences in their case.
Seiten, who was given the boot by Villarreal a year ago, and ex-Real Oviedo custodian Alvaro Cervera, who was relieved of his duties in a similar time period, are the main cases that have caused La Liga managers, as a collective, to take action.
The case of the former was particularly of interest due to Barcelona’s involvement with the now-65-year-old having to seek legal advice in order to get the Spanish giants to pay up.
A meeting with the National Committee, which includes representatives from La Liga, RFEF and Liga F, has been arranged for Wednesday in order to iron out the issues that arose during the meeting on Tuesday. The plan is to show their proposal of a strike, the first of it’s kind in La Liga’s history.
Xavi’s Barcelona Dismissal Not Focused on
Barca legend wrote off huge pay out
While clubs – and their managers, in particular – are looking to outlaw subsequent discussions about severance pay, Barcelona hero Xavi saved the five-time Champions League winners from burning a bigger hole in their finances.
Initially in January 2024, the Spaniard had announced his decision to leave the club at the end of the season but U-turned his decision in quite stunning fashion. Ahead of the Spanish side’s final La Liga fixture of last season, however, the 44-year-old was sacked, a month on from extending his contract.
A gesture from the kindness in his own heart, the club legend was grateful enough to write off any money owed to him, which was believed to be around the ballpark of €11-12 million (£9.27m-£10.1m).
As a result, the Catalan-based outfit will not be directly affected by the ongoing protests as, technically, they do not have a former manager out of pocket. Despite the La Blaugrana idol writing off the salary due for 2024/25, it still cost the club £5.5 million (€6.5m) to cut his stay in the Nou Camp dugout short, per The Athletic.