by Our Sports Desk

SPANISH footballers suspended their strike yesterday after a court ruled that it would be illegal.

Players had been planning to down boots from tomorrow in protest at a new law on how TV cash is split.

Spanish football federation RFEF, which also opposes the new rules, had decided to suspend the last two games of the season in a bid to press the government to drop the rules.

But the National Professional Football League (LFP) — which runs Spain’s top two divisions — successfully blocked that in court, arguing that it could cost around €50 million (£36m) in lost match day revenues.

Judges said the strike would prevent the conclusion of the last two games of the first and second divisions on their scheduled dates, causing “serious organisational disorder.”

LFP was also ordered to deposit a €5m bond, which it duly did.

The dispute centres on the way TV money is distributed, with the Spanish government and LFP having approved a new law that allows for collective bargaining to break the stranglehold of “big two” clubs Barcelona and Real Madrid, who together scoop about half the cash.

Now the suspension has been lifted Barca have a chance to win the league with a game to spare, if they beat Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

The Copa del Rey final on May 30 will also now go ahead.

Players’ union AFE came out against the proposals, mainly because they believe they do not give enough support to lower league clubs, many of which are struggling financially with knock-on affects for players — some of whom regularly suffer unpaid wages.

RFEF also opposed sections of the deal but the decision to pick up the ball and run off appeared largely to stem from a power struggle between them and LFP about who runs Spanish football — they claimed they were “ignored” when the Bill was drafted and showed a “lack of respect.”

Sport Minister Jose Ignacio Wert said the government has been working intensely over the past two days to resolve the differences dividing football’s ruling bodies.

“There are no insurmountable obstacles to reaching a solid accord,” he said yesterday.

The ruling gave AFE five days to lodge an appeal and said the court’s decision was provisional and “could be modified” when it further studied the union’s reasons for wanting to strike.