Barca threaten court battle

Barca threaten court battle
Phil Minshull

MADRID, APRIL 28: Angry Barcelona officials on Friday threatened to take the Spanish football federation (RFEF) to court following the club's expulsion from next year's Spanish Cup.

Barcelona were also fined two million pesetas ($10,930) as the RFEF imposed the maximum sentence on the club for refusing to play their semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid on Monday.

Atletico have been given a walkover to the final on May 27 where they will face Espanyol. Barcelona claimed they had insufficient players, because of injuries and international commitments, to field a complete team.

Barcelona vice-president Joan Gaspart said the club would take legal action against the country's football authorities if the RFEF refused to reverse their judgement.

``I don't understand this decision. It's a foolish error. It is injustifiable and the federation have not given us a reason,'' Gaspart said.

``We are going to keep on fighting to have this decision reversed, and if not we are going to take it all the way to the high court. We could even take it to the Court of Arbitration in Sport.''

''The RFEF deserves an Oscar for this popular decision,'' he added sarcastically.

By coincidence Atletico and Barcelona meet again on Saturday in the Spanish League at the Vicente Calderon Stadium.

Gaspart said the Catalan club could challenge the result if Atletico striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink plays.

Hasselbaink was suspended for Monday's match-that-never-was but the RFEF said he had now completed his two-match ban and can play on Saturday.

``It's possible we will challenge the result if Hasselbaink is in the Atletico line-up,'' Gaspart said.

``If Atletico win we will be looking to overturn the result for this reason. We may have lost the battle but we will win the war.''

Atletico president Jesus Gil -- himself no stranger to controversy -- criticised Gaspart's reaction.

``He's lost his nerve and I'm amazed at what he was saying. All he's doing is generating bad feeling by his statements,'' Gil said.

Barcelona club lawyer Josep Maria Coronas took a more conciliatory line. ``We don't want a war with the RFEF,'' Coronas said.

He suggested Barcelona would appeal to the Spanish sports council, with a view to getting the RFEF decisions annulled.

He added Barcelona were still willing to play the Cup semi-final second leg on May 16.

However a decision on Friday by the RFEF to confirm Valencia as the venue of the final on May 27 means Barcelona are unlikely to get any redress except through legal means. (Reuters)