Villarreal left "furious" as La Liga suddenly cancels Barcelona clash amidst major backlash and protest
- Sounak Sinha
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
La Liga and their official sports partner Relevant had earlier announced that the fixture between Barcelona and Villarreal would take place in the United States, more specifically at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on 20th December. However, amidst heavy backlash and protest, La Liga has now changed its decision to organise a prestigious domestic match outside Spain for the first time in history.
According to Reuters, it would have been the first time a “Big Five” European team would have played their domestic league fixture outside of its home country.
La Liga’s decision to play the Barca-Villarreal clash in Miami was framed as a part of their upcoming long‐term strategy to internationalise the Spanish top-tier league, which can help them to expand their market, increase revenues and increase global exposure.
According to reports, Villarreal, led by their president Fernando Roig Sr, have been left "furious" and "embarrassed" by this sudden U-turn by La Liga. Multiple images that had circulated online showcased Fernando Roig being visibly frustrated after receiving the match cancellation news during Villarreal's Champions League match against Manchester City on Wednesday.
Villarreal’s head coach, Marcelino García Toral, criticised the timing of the announcement, as it came during the club’s Champions League match, and said it displayed a "lack of respect" for the club and its fans.
Major backlash over the project "La Liga-Miami"
La Liga's sudden change of heart does not come as a massive surprise, as their initial plan had faced major protest and backlash since its announcement back in early October.
According to Football Critic, staging a domestic league game abroad would have distorted the competitive balance of La Liga, where one club (in this case Villarreal as “home”) will eventually get deprived of their actual home-ground advantage.
On the other hand, the players’ union (Asociación de Futbolistas Españoles – AFE) performed protests during recent La Liga matches (the first 15 seconds of games they played were paused) to send a signal of dissent, lack of consultation, and unorganised planning.
Objections from clubs and organisations were also observed
Several La Liga clubs, including Real Madrid CF, had publicly showcased their opposition to La Liga's decision and had even reportedly lodged formal objections with the Spanish sports ministry (CSD) and Football Federation (RFEF).
Although UEFA provisionally approved the match, other football governing bodies such as FIFA and CONCACAF remained unclear from the beginning of this situation, which says it all about the cancellation of the "La Liga-Miami" project.
