By David Gold
July 30 – Bayern Munich President Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has issued a stinging rebuke to Paris Saint Germain (PSG), saying that the salary they are paying new signing Zlatan Ibrahimović “makes me sick”.
Rummenigge also hit out at Chelsea and Manchester City for their excessive spending in recent times.
“Last year Manchester City recorded a loss of €200 million (£156 million/$246 million) and Chelsea €80 million (£63 million/$98 million) – despite the Financial Fair Play rules,” Rummenigge told Bild.
“What is happening at Paris St Germain, I find that incomprehensible.
“When you see the salary of Ibrahimović [pictured top], with €14.5 million (£12 million/$18 million) a year, that makes me sick.”
Rummenigge’s comments are particularly significant as he is the acting chairman of the European Club Association (ECA), representing the same teams he has rebuked.
With a nod towards the new Financial Fair Play initiative brought in by UEFA President Michel Platini in an attempt to force teams to balance their books, the former German international said: “It is now the decisive test…financial fair play is his baby.”
Manchester City have spent huge sums in becoming English Premier League champions, signing players such as Carlos Tévez, Sergio Aguëro and Yaya Touré in big money deals.
Rummenigge (pictured above, on right, with Platini) last year attacked City for their heavy spending.
Chelsea, who have consistently lost large amounts in recent years, have also spent heavily this summer in a bid to compete with City.
However, neither has spent as much as Paris St Germain since their takeover by Qatari owners last year.
They spent more than anyone in Europe last summer, bringing in Javier Pastore, Jérémy Menez, Kevin Gameiro and Blaise Matuidi.
They then fired Antoine Kombouaré mid season with the team top of Ligue 1 to bring in Carlo Ancelotti, who then signed Thiago Motta, Alex and Maxwell.
This summer PSG look set to be the biggest spenders on the continent again, after bringing in Ezequiel Lavezzi (pictured above) from Napoli, Marco Verratti from Pescara, and Ibrahimović and Thiago Silva from AC Milan.
That lavish philosophy contrasts markedly with Bayern, who aim to break even each year and are relatively frugal.
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