Brussels, 03/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has received information from the Spanish government about a deal involving the football club Real Madrid and the Madrid city council, confirmed on Wednesday by Tilman Lueder, spokesperson for Commissioner Monti. The deal involved the purchase by the city authorities of land belonging to the football club for EUR 480 million with the intention of transforming it into something more "prestigious", explained Lueder. This operation does not present a problem if the Spanish city acts as a private investor, without disbursing an amount in excess of the real value of the land but if it could transpire that it constitutes an illegal subsidy, explained the spokesperson, who also said that the Commission wanted to see if it contained any components of aid. Lueder stated that if Madrid had followed the laws of the market, everything would be in order and the case would be closed. The Commission, which had been called on with regard to this issue (the Europa Press agency has mentioned Manchester United and Bayern Munich) is currently analysing the response in a thirty page document sent to it by the Spanish authorities. There are three possible outcomes: the Commission is satisfied with the response confirming that no aid was involved and the affair is closed; the Commission is not convinced and requests additional explanations; doubts are borne out and it opens a formal investigation. The decision is expected in "the next few weeks".