MADRID • Spanish La Liga president Javier Tebas accused Nasser Al-Khelaifi of lying and arrogance on Wednesday, after the president of Paris-Saint Germain defended his club's lavish spending to keep star striker Kylian Mbappe.

La Liga has filed complaints to European football's governing body Uefa about PSG and Manchester City "continuously breaching the current regulations of financial fair play", the Spanish league confirmed last week.

In an interview with Madrid daily newspaper Marca, Al-Khelaifi said: "We do what we do because we know we can. It's not our style to talk about other leagues, clubs or federations.

"We're not preaching and we're not going to allow anybody to preach to us.

"Every year it is the same. We are going to continue building our project."

Quoting Al-Khelaifi's comments on Twitter, Tebas wrote on Wednesday: "Al-Khelaifi is another level.

"He takes us all for fools (not even he believes his lies) and shows up in @marca preaching with pride and arrogance about the 'nouveau riche'.

"The rules do not exist for @PSG_inside. We will continue to fight for a football that is sustainable and without cheating."

Tebas has long rallied against the financial wealth of state-backed clubs like PSG and City, insisting that they are disturbing the economic balance of the game.

As well as its complaint filed to Uefa against the two clubs, La Liga has hired legal firms in France and Switzerland "with the aim of undertaking administrative and judicial actions before the relevant French bodies and the European Union as soon as possible".

Mbappe rejected Spanish champions Real Madrid last month to sign a new three-year deal with PSG, who will pay him an annual salary of €40-50 million (S$58-73 million).

PSG suffered a €224.3 million loss in 2020-21, an increase of 80 per cent on the previous year, the annual report from French football's financial authority (DNCG) said earlier this month.

Al-Khelaifi also said PSG rejected an €180 million bid from Real last summer because he knew Mbappe wanted to stay.

"I know him very well, I know what he and his family want, and they don't move for money," he added. "He has chosen to play here for his city, his club and his country, and for the sporting project. He only thinks about playing and winning."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE