An Omani court has ordered that Spanish football giants Real Madrid pay $1.19 million in compensation to an Oman-based events company after failing to bring to bring its top footballers to a 2014 Oman Legends Cup match against arch-rivals FC Barcelona, according to local media.
According to the Muscat Daily, the Council of Administrative Affairs for the Judiciary, First Instance Court (Commercial department), ruled that the Spanish pay the compensation in addition to $2,500 in lawyers fees.
“My stand has been vindicated against Real Madrid on their breach of contract,” Said Al Shabibi, the general manager of Zan for Events and Conferences, told the newspaper. “My company suffered huge losses as the club failed to bring in the promised stars for the Oman Legends Cup.”
The match was played in March 2014.
Al Shabibi added that the lawsuit also takes into account what he said was Real Madrid’s failure to fulfil a commitment to start up a Real Madrid Academy.
“The legends game was held to promote and announce the setting up of the academy,” he said. “But to our shock and disappointment, we got to know that Real Madrid has inked a deal with another party in Oman for the academy a day ahead of the match.”
“The verdict on that appeal is yet to come but we have all the documents and evidence citing the visit of top Real Madrid officials to Muscat to discuss the project,” he added. “We also had a press conference announcing the plans for the match and academy in the presence of officials from the Spanish Embassy.”
Real Madrid has reportedly hired a local law firm to represent the team and has appealed the court’s decision.
