Pique rejects wrongdoing over 24-million euros Saudi Super Cup deal

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique dismissed any wrongdoing over his involvement in helping the Spanish FA secure a deal to relocate Spain's Super Cup to Saudi Arabia, an agreement which earned his Kosmos company 24 million euros ($26 million) in commission.

On Monday, website El Confidencial published leaked audio recordings from 2019 that revealed details about the contract negotiated by Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales and Pique with Saudi Arabia that included Kosmos receiving 4 million euros for each of the six Super Cup editions scheduled to be played in the Middle Eastern country.

"I have absolutely nothing to hide, it's all legal," Pique told a late night news conference on Monday that was streamed on his social media channel.

"We can debate the morality of it but the only illegality is the leaking of the audios. I see no ethical issues or conflict of interest either. It's the opposite, I feel proud for the spectacular job we have done bringing the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia."

Pique said the 4 million euros paid per tournament to Kosmos represents 10 per cent of the 40 million euros that Saudi authorities agreed to pay the Spanish FA every year to bring the Super Cup to the Gulf state.

"As a commission, it is below the market value. These types of deals usually pay 15 per cent to 20 per cent," the Barcelona defender said while he was repeatedly quizzed by reporters who felt his involvement in brokering the deal was a conflict of interest.

"We will take legal action against the publication of the audios.

"The audios were taken out of context. I was just trying to help the president (Rubiales) have a formula that was financially logical for the FA and the clubs. Commercial issues have nothing to do with sporting