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Javier Tebas said that the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, who transferred from Real Madrid to Serie A team Juventus in 2018, did not affect La Liga badly.
La Liga President Tebas, who made a statement to the Spanish radio RAC1, stated that Ronaldo did not harm the popularity of the league, and compared it with Lionel Messi.
Tebas emphasized that if he were transferred to a team in another league, they would deeply feel the absence of Messi:
"While Cristiano Ronaldo's departure has upset Real Madrid, it has had almost no impact on La Liga because the La Liga brand has spent years getting ahead of players."
"But Lionel Messi is different. Messi is the best player in the history of football. We are lucky to have played in La Liga throughout his career. If Messi leaves here, I'm sure we will feel his absence."
"Messi's departure wouldn't have been a disaster because with or without him, we signed broadcast deals. But the important thing here is Messi's added value. Messi always pleases us."
"Messi is an icon of Spanish football. I would ask him, 'Please finish your career in our league'. We are very fond of him."