European commission investigates 7 Spanish football clubs

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo said on Monday that the European Commission was investigating seven Spanish clubs including Real Madrid and Barcelona over possible illegal government aid. Barca, Real Madrid, Osasuna and Athletic Bilbao are accused of contravening European Union rules because they are still owned by their members and had benefited from favourable tax treatment, Margallo told reporters on sidelines of EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels. The Commission was also probing Real Madrid over their training facilities at Valdebebas near Madrid's main airport and Bilbao over aid they received for the construction of their new stadium, which opened this season, added Margallo, whose remarks were quoted by local media here. Valencia, Elche and Hercules were being investigated because of help the three cash-strapped clubs received from the regional government in the form of loans and bank guarantees. Margallo denied the clubs had broken EU rules and said the Spanish government, which has a month to respond to the accusations, would attempt to prevent them being forced to pay back any aid deemed illegal. "The government will fight to the end to defend Spanish clubs because they are also part of the Spanish brand," Margallo added