Why La Liga Needs Barcelona and Vice Versa Amid Catalan Referendum Talk

Barcelona will be kicked out of La Liga, according to LFP chief Javier Tebas, if Catalonia gains independence from Spain, but it's difficult to see that actually happening because they need each other.

There is still a long way to go politically before that situation could arise, and many are convinced that secession will never actually happen.

A referendum is pencilled in for November 9, but Madrid say that having one would be illegal, and there are huge doubts over whether or not it will take place.

But hypothetically, if the region does gain independence and officially becomes a country, then it would mean that clubs from Catalonia would not be allowed to compete in the Spanish Leagues unless the law is changed.

It is an issue that was being discussed on Tuesday, with Tebas speaking about the potential repercussions of independence.

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"Barcelona and Espanyol would not play in the Spanish league if Catalonia split from Spain. They wouldn't do so for the following reasons: the current legislation on sport dictates that there is only one non-Spanish state that may play in la Liga or in official Spanish competitions and that is Andorra," Tebas told radio station Onda Cero (h/t Marca).

Tebas continued, per Reuters (h/t The Guardian): "I can't imagine the LFP without Barca. In the same way as I can't imagine Catalonia without Spain, I can't see La Liga without Barca. Also if it did happen what would you call the league: the Spanish League or the Iberian League?"

However, the most crucial reason why La Liga and Barcelona are unlikely to part ways is business.

Financially, it makes no sense for either party. In La Liga, Barcelona are allowed to negotiate their own television deal. That sees them rake in the cash along with Real Madrid.

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Barcelona would then have to find somewhere else to play, with France's Ligue 1 a geographically sensible option. An alternative is a bid to start a European Super League, which could change football as we know it.

La Liga, meanwhile, would be significantly weaker without Barcelona involved. Real Madrid and Barca are the two teams that bring worldwide interest to the division.

These two sides are the reason why Spain can claim to have the best or most interesting league in the world.

If Barcelona disappeared, then people would lose interest in La Liga. Real Madrid would be the dominant force along with city rivals Atletico.

Last season saw Atletico win the league, the first time a side other than Real Madrid or Barcelona had won it since Valencia, in 2004.

Their rivalry, which has been going for over three-quarters of a century, is La Liga's key selling point. It is watched around the world, and around 400 million people tuned in for the second El Clasico of the 2013/14 season, per CNN.

Losing Barcelona would greatly reduce the amount of money that television companies, who screen each and every one of the Catalan side's games, would pay for the rights to broadcast La Liga matches.

Furthermore, the appeal of Real Madrid would be hugely diminished without their rivalry against Barcelona, too.

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Per Sid Lowe in The Guardian, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez once said, "If Barcelona didn't exist, we'd have to invent them."

In truth, the most likely situation to occur should Catalonia actually gain independence from Spain is the law being amended to allow teams from Catalonia to continue to compete in the Spanish leagues.

What we must remember, though, is that the situation where a decision on Barcelona's future has to be made is a long way off and may never even happen at all.