Real Madrid and Barcelona at risk of UEFA Champions League expulsion amid Luis Rubiales kiss gate scandal - Report
The Luis Rubiales kiss gate scandal is increasingly gaining media attention, leading to Real Madrid and Barcelona getting roped into the fray. The two Spanish clubs are reportedly on the brink of expulsion from the UEFA Champions League following the Royal Spanish Football Federation's (RFEF's) intervention.
Andreu Camps, the Secretary General of RFEF, has apparently written a letter to UEFA, asking the organization to impose a ban on Spanish teams' participation in European competitions.
This bizarre appeal was issued as a reply to the Spanish government's involvement in the Luis Rubiales scandal, with Camps condemning their entanglement in sporting matters.
The nation's government has cleared its stance on the issue by demanding the resignation or disqualification of Luis Rubiales from his office.
Consequently, Camps is making his case over a UEFA statute that negates any third-party involvement in any case and seeks the suspension of Spanish teams, including Real Madrid and Barcelona, from continental competitions until the case is resolved (source: Onda Cero).
Unexpectedly, the European football governing body has not opined publicly on the subject, as of this writing, despite Luis Rubiales' stature at the organization. Several football icons, such as Ian Wright and Ada Hegerberg, have slammed UEFA for their silence on the matter.
Real Madrid and Barcelona could potentially miss competing in Europe for the first time in 27 years if the Luis Rubiales scandal rages on
The two Spanish giants have been duking it out on the European stage for decades, winning countless continental titles in the process. It's been a long while since either Barcelona or Real Madrid missed out on a European spot, a scenario that could become a reality if UEFA chooses to act on Andreu Camps' complaint.
Real Madrid has dominated proceedings in the Champions League ever since its inception in 1955. The first Spanish club to participate in the illustrious tournament, Los Blancos went on to establish a monopoly in the competition by winning the first five editions on the trot.
The men in white have since competed in every UEFA-organized competition, except the Intertoto Cup and Conference League, only missing out on European contention in the 1977–78 and 1996–97 seasons.
Similarly, Barcelona has established itself as a force to be reckoned with on the European stage. The Blaugrana's last noted absence from the UCL was in the 2003-04 season due to their lowly sixth-place league finish in the prior season. Nevertheless, the Catalan giants have a record of playing in at least one European competition in every term since 1955.