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La Liga players go on strike, fixtures postponed

by Mafu Sithabile
20 Aug 2011 at 18:20hrs | Views
The opening weekend of the 2011-12 Primera Division season will not go ahead after all ten top-flight fixtures were postponed due to a strike by players over wage payments.

The Spanish Professional Footballers' Union (AFE) announced last week that players from Spain's top two divisions were to strike unless an agreement over unpaid wages could be reached with the Liga de Futbol Profesional (LFP). The latest meeting was held on Friday, with the AFE seeking a guaranteed fund to protect players' wages in the event of their clubs being declared insolvent, but talks broke down.

Real Madrid was set to face Athletic Bilbao on an entertaining opening weekend of La Liga action, with Malaga down to meet champions Barcelona and an attractive Andalusia derby between Sevilla and Betis also planned.

But those games will now be postponed after AFE announced the following regarding the situation.

AFE had announced earlier this month that La Liga and Liga Adelante players would go on strike for the first two weekends of the 2011-12 campaign as they fight for a wage guarantee fund in case clubs become insolvent.

The players will not play until a collective bargaining agreement has been signed between the AFE and the individual clubs. Earlier this week, the LFP called the prospective strike 'unjustified' and 'sterile' and also criticized the attitude of the AFE.

Further talks are planned on Saturday and then again on Monday, the LFP announced later on Friday in a statement on its website.


Source - Byo24News