MADRID: Hopes held out by Spanish league officials for an imminent agreement on an across-the-board share-out of domestic television cash have been blown out of the water by Barcelona.

Within one week of English Premier League clubs gleefully counting millions more to spend in the international transfer market, so the Catalan giants have agreed a €140m deal with Telefonica to screen all their home league games next season. The telecoms giant will also take over the running of the club website.

The deal lasts for only one year because a shared-rights agreement is due to take effect next season. However no agreement has been reached with Barcelona and Real Madrid over how the monies will be split.

Madrid, as world and European champions, would set their initial negotiating stance far higher than Barcelona.

The total worth of Spanish league TV deals this season is just under €650m and it is accepted that neither club would sign up to a deal which saw them conceding a loss.

###########