The proposed La Liga match between Barcelona and Villarreal in Miami has been cancelled by its promoter following intense criticism in Spain, La Liga confirmed on Tuesday.
The fixture, originally scheduled for December 20 at the Hard Rock Stadium, was expected to be the first La Liga game held outside Spain — and the first European league match ever staged abroad.
“La Liga reports that, following discussions with the promoter of the La Liga official match in Miami, the latter has announced its decision to cancel the event due to the uncertainty generated in Spain in recent weeks,” La Liga said in a statement.
The league expressed regret over the development, describing the decision as a missed opportunity for the internationalisation of Spanish football.
“La Liga deeply regrets that this project, which represented a historic and unparalleled opportunity for the internationalisation of Spanish football, cannot go ahead. The staging of an official match outside our borders would have been a decisive step in the global expansion of our competition.”
Although UEFA had approved the plan, the match was still awaiting FIFA’s final approval.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid filed two complaints to Spain’s Sports Ministry, accusing both La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) of making the decision without consulting participating clubs. The club argued that staging the match in Miami violated the principle of territorial reciprocity in home-and-away league formats.
“La Liga does whatever it wants because it suits them,” Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois told reporters on Tuesday. “This decision distorts the competition. Playing at home is not the same as playing away. Villarreal away is tough, and it’s not fair to change the rules mid-season without consulting us.”
In response, La Liga players across several clubs staged silent protests over the weekend by standing motionless at kickoffs. However, these demonstrations were not broadcast on official television feeds, which instead displayed banners reading “Commitment to Peace.”
La Liga maintained that the initiative complied with all regulations and would not have distorted the competition.
“In a context of increasing global competitiveness, where leagues such as the Premier League and competitions such as the UEFA Champions League continue to increase their reach and capacity to generate resources, initiatives such as this are essential to ensure the sustainability and growth of Spanish football,” the statement added.
“Giving up such opportunities hinders the generation of new revenue, limits the ability of clubs to invest and compete, and reduces the international profile of the entire national football ecosystem.”
— Reuters
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The post Planned Barca, Villarreal Match in Miami Cancelled appeared first on Ghanaian Times.
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