'Arrogant' Rubiales criticized by clubs over leaked WhatsApp messages

Barcelona, Oct 11, 2022 (AFP) - La Liga clubs Sevilla, Villarreal and Valencia criticised Luis Rubiales, the president of the Spanish football federation (RFEF), on Tuesday, after disrespectful comments he had made in a private WhatsApp conversation were published.

Spanish newspaper El Confidencial had published messages supposedly from Rubiales in conversation with his father, which they found as part of a wider investigation into the RFEF chief.

In January 2020 Rubiales had stated that Villarreal, Sevilla and Valencia were the three teams he disliked the most in Spain, "in this order".

"Sevilla, Valencia and Villarreal wish to jointly express their condemnation of the serious contempt shown by the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, towards our clubs," the three clubs wrote in a statement, published by each simultaneously.

"The conversations in which he speaks with such insult, animosity and arrogance towards the three institutions are unacceptable coming from a person who holds a position of such responsibility and who must look after the interests of all Spanish football clubs equally.

"Likewise, the clubs show their utmost concern for the possible consequences that his attitude towards our clubs may entail, since his behaviour does not help the transparency of the competition."

Rubiales wrote the messages on a day where Real Madrid were hosting Sevilla in La Liga, earning a 2-1 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"Let's see if we can wipe the floor with them, they are the team I like least, bar one, out of all of them," he wrote before the game.

During the match, Sevilla had a goal controversially ruled out.

"They will be on my back because of the VAR," said Rubiales in another message.

The RFEF did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.