Barcelona manager Xavi said on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia has “things that, without a doubt, need to be improved, just like Spain”, as part of the near-concluded controversy over hosting the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia. Arabia.
Xavi said at a press conference on the eve of tomorrow, Thursday, the semi-final of the Spanish Super Cup against Betis in Riyadh: “We are professionals. There is work. We came here for the benefit of Spanish football.” I think that many teams will benefit from this. Modest teams will receive “new” income.
“As a country, Saudi Arabia certainly has room for improvement, but Spain also has room for improvement,” he added.
The Spanish Super Cup kicks off today, Wednesday, with the first semi-final between Real Madrid and Valencia.
In June 2021, the Spanish Football Federation extended its contract with Saudi Arabia until 2029 to host the Super Cup for €40 million per season.
And if the controversy over the rights of women (who have received permission to enter stadiums to watch matches) overshadowed the first edition of the Spanish Super Cup in 2020 in Jeddah, then talk has gradually moved away from the practice of the Kingdom, which has been widely criticized. human rights activists who believe that Saudi Arabia has used sports to improve its image.
Source: AFP.