Barcelona threaten to sever ties with Spanish rivals Real Madrid

Barcelona and Real Madrid met five times last season with tempers flaring on several occasions
(CNN) -- European champions Barcelona claim they will sever ties with Real Madrid if their fierce Spanish rivals continue to push the "bounds of sportsmanship."
The two clubs faced-off five times over the course of last season, culminating in two tempestuous Champions League semifinals in which players from both sides clashed on numerous occasions.
Real coach Jose Mourinho was handed a five-match ban by UEFA after comments he made after the first leg of the tie, in which he claimed match officials favored Barcelona.
He was also sent to the stands during the game at Real's Bernabeu stadium after criticizing the referee.
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Real then claimed Barcelona's players had play-acted to con the referee, and that Sergio Busquets made racist comments to their Brazilian defender Marcelo -- a charge UEFA later dismissed.
In a press conference on Thursday Barca president Sandro Rosell warned that his club would break ties with Real if next season was again punctuated by poor relations.
"Real Madrid and FC Barcelona are ancient institutions with many supporters and aficionados," Rosell said in a statement on the club's official web site.

Real Madrid crossed the line of acceptable sporting rivalry by making accusations against our club without any foundation
--Sandro Rosell, Barcelona president

"Real Madrid crossed the line of acceptable sporting rivalry by making accusations against our club without any foundation.
"If the limits of fair play are passed once again, we shall be obliged to end our institutional relations, something we have absolutely no desire to do.
"The rivalry will continue next season but we will not allow them to go beyond the bounds of sportsmanship."
Rosell also made reference to the "numerous provocations" made by Mourinho, pointing to the post-match press conference that landed him in hot water. The Portuguese this week appealed against his ban.
He said: "Comments by the protagonists have always served to enrich footballing debate. But this season a Real Madrid employee, its coach, also went beyond all the limits of necessary sporting rivalry.
"He even went as far as to say that our coach should feel ashamed of some of our victories. The press conference given by the Real Madrid coach after the first leg of the Champions League semi finals at the Bernabeu would certainly have made any sportsperson feel ashamed.
"He accused our club of having won titles thanks to some kind of national and international conspiracy, implicating in this conspiracy the good name of Unicef and the football authorities."
Barca's president went on to claim the club's season was the best in its history, after coach Pep Guardiola secured the Spanish league title to go with the club's fourth Champions League triumph.
Rosell also hinted that Barcelona would be willing to spend big if the right players became available, as speculation over Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas' future continues to grow.
"We'll see what happens in the transfer market. Initially, we have $63 million but we might use part of next year's money too," he said. "Guardiola has his preferences, but he doesn't talk about names, he talks about positions that should be strengthened.

"Cesc? I guess he'd like to join us, like a lot of players would, but we won't go mad and offer silly fees. Last year we offered $56 million for Cesc, this season his value is less. What we can offer will also depend on his salary."