[FCB-Mo]

Strike threat in Spain

Barcelona's clash with Real Madrid has been thrown into doubt after the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) announced that all first and second division referees would go on strike this weekend unless they are paid before Friday.

The RFEF has informed the Professional Football League (LFP) of the decision by the officials to go on strike before the next round of matches due to be played on April 1 and 2 unless they receive their wages for the last two months.

Jorge Perez, the secretary general of the RFEF, sent a letter to the board of the LFP that he received from the president of the Referees' Committee (CTA), Victoriano Sanchez Arminio, in which he announced the decision to down tools.

"If they do not pay, then they will not officiate. They have decided that unanimously and it is their decision away from the technical committee," a source from the RFEF told Spanish news agency EFE.

The conflict between the RFEF and LFP has been caused by a number of disagreements in recent seasons over which body is supposed to pay the referees.

While the RFEF claim that they have transferred a sum to cover wages, they then announced that they had deducted a debt they claim was owed from the 2003 Copa Del Rey final.

The LFP hit back by stating that they had paid monies owed for September and October weeks ago and had passed onto Uefa enough funds to cover November, December and January.

Meetings are due to continue throughout the week in a bid to break the deadlock.

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In all honesty, i hope the match gets cancelled, atleast our player can have a little break and if the match is postponed to a later date, Messi will be able to play!

[Raed]

Perez can ref the classico. No big deal.

[skogmund]

Hope that this is a joke. F...ing Real are afraid

[Raed]

It is a joke.

[TheKing]

It is a serious threat but it will never go ahead. Referees in Spain have been particularly hated in recent weeks due to their crap performances. This would be the last straw for many fans and all referees can expect death threats from ultras if they walk out of this weekends fixtures.

[Raed]

Well I wouldn't pay them for the shitty job they have been doing. What would happen if they don't get paid though?

[Visca_Barça]

the spanish refs dont deserve to get their paychecks ... they deserve a bitch slap all of them

[TheKing]

Why haven't they been paid for the last two months anyway? This is why clubs should be punished for racism, it pays for the referees. 600 Euro fines aren't enough to pay for 20 guys who all have to provide for their families.

[Quell]

i can't believe! these f***s want more money!! for what the hell?
consider me crazy, but i sense a plot... don't ask, how!

[Poor_Sunyol]

Canal+ will pay, don't worry (although I have to agree with Mo) El Gran Classico will go ahead.

It would be nice to beat them with a weakened team...

[Galactico]

Where exactly do you think this game will be moved to if was to be rearanged?

[FCB-Mo]

End of the season so the league goes on for an extra week to piss off FIFA + i want the title presentation to take place when Real are there so they can do a lap of honour

[Galactico]

The season has to end on the 15th of May.

[beautifulgame]

Well if they haven't been paid since November, they are right to go on strike. Plus they're owed some money from last season still.

[Poor_Sunyol]

It's been settled.