Game 39 threat comes to Spain

[JM Footzee]

The Segunda Division regular season finished yesterday. Can anyone supply an answer on why that division carries on so late into the year? The promotion play-offs don't finish until 23 June! That gives whoever is promoted into La Liga, one of the richest leagues in the world, a little under eight weeks for a holiday and pre-season before they're back at it again on 16 August. A mid-table La Liga team will have been off since 19 May.

I've had a look at the fixture schedule and it seems they play a game every weekend with one weekend off around Christmas - 22 teams = 42 and a bit week season. That's not a healthy proposition surely? The Championship is richer, but minor internationals can go there knowing their domestic season run-in won't clash with their national sides playing. I presume reliance on crowd income has something to do with why they don't play midweek at all?

[Sporting]

The Segunda Division regular season finished yesterday. Can anyone supply an answer on why that division carries on so late into the year? The promotion play-offs don't finish until 23 June! That gives whoever is promoted into La Liga, one of the richest leagues in the world, a little under eight weeks for a holiday and pre-season before they're back at it again on 16 August. A mid-table La Liga team will have been off since 19 May.

I've had a look at the fixture schedule and it seems they play a game every weekend with one weekend off around Christmas - 22 teams = 42 and a bit week season. That's not a healthy proposition surely? The Championship is richer, but minor internationals can go there knowing their domestic season run-in won't clash with their national sides playing. I presume reliance on crowd income has something to do with why they don't play midweek at all?

Good questions. I think tradition has something to do with it; the Spanish season (including the first division) often and still does carry on into June. If possible matches are not played in August due to the heat and a lot of people being out of town in these dates. And it's nice to have some footie in June!

TV companies are not so keen on midweek matches.

More difficulties for travelling fans (not that many in Spain but they do exist) with midweek games, especially given the distances involved.

Particular problems for the likes of Tenerife and Las Palmas.

(The regionalised 2nd and 3rd division play offs are also in progress at the moment.)

I'm sure there are other reasons I've forgotten or haven't thought about.

[Nocturnal Submission]

Just out of interest, does anyone know how much RM can spend on transfers this summer before they fall foul of any spending limit laws, coz they're reckoned to be around the £300m mark already?

[Sporting]

Not sure but it's one reason why they want shot of Bale. Who is sitting neat and pretty with three years left on his contract, family happy in Madrid and not playing ball, as in up yours Zidane.

[ursus arctos]

It is impossible to know given the opacity of their finances and the delays inherent in financial reporting, but there have been stories that it could be as high as 500 million euro, though that is almost certainly a total outlay figure that anticipates significant inflows from the sale of Bale, Navas and others.

[ursus arctos]

48 million euro for Mendy puts them at 319 million for the campaign so far, not including potential add ons (at least another 50 million).