Soccer-Sogecable to appeal court ruling on Barca payments

MADRID, July 17 (Reuters) - Prisa's Sogecable unit (PRS.MC) will appeal a court decision ordering it to pay 29.1 million euros ($41 million) plus interest to Barcelona in TV rights for the 2007/08 season, the Spanish media firm said on Friday.

A court in Barcelona on Thursday ruled in favour of the Primera Liga champions, saying Sogecable's Audiovisual Sport unit (AVS) and Televisio de Catalunya had to make the payment and cover the costs of the legal action.

"There is a court in Barcelona which says that TV Catalunya and AVS owe Barcelona 30 million euros from last season for soccer broadcasting rights," a Sogecable official said.

"But from the 15th round of the season they stopped our cameras from going in ... if they don't let you in it's very difficult to film, so it's an absurd situation. We are going to lodge an appeal." (Reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary; Writing by Iain Rogers; Editing by Sonia Oxley; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)