Barcelona players celebrate their team's sixth goal during the opening Champions League football match between Barcelona and Olympiacos in Barcelona, Spain, on Tuesday.
Joan Monfort/AP
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Joan Monfort/AP
MADRID — The Spanish Football League said Tuesday that Barcelona's plans to play a regular-season game against Villarreal near Miami in December have been cancelled. The decision came after increased domestic opposition to the match.
The league said the decision was made after discussions with the organizer of the match, scheduled for December 20, and cited “the uncertainty that has arisen in Spain over the past few weeks.”
The game's promoter, Relevent, said it had informed La Liga that it would need to “postpone the scheduled match” as there was “insufficient time to properly stage an event of this magnitude.”
He added that “it would also be irresponsible to start selling tickets without a confirmed match.”
The league finally managed to get approval from soccer bodies such as UEFA and the Spanish federation to play its first regular season game abroad. But recently in Spain there has been increased resistance from players, some clubs and fans.
The Spanish League “deeply regrets that this project, which represented a historic and unprecedented opportunity for the international expansion of Spanish football, will not be able to move forward.”
The league said that “hosting an official match outside our borders would be a decisive step in the global growth of competition, strengthening the international presence of clubs, the positioning of players and the visibility of Spanish football in a strategic market such as the United States.”
It stated that “the project is in full compliance with all federal regulations and does not affect the integrity of the competition, as confirmed by the competent agencies responsible for enforcement, which opposed it for other reasons.”
But criticism of the game has intensified recently, with players protesting during league matches over the weekend by standing still within seconds of kick-off.
Earlier on Tuesday, Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois criticized Spanish league president Javier Tebas and complained about the league's decision to censor player protests. Television coverage of games before kickoff switched to the exterior of the stadiums and showed only part of the fields from afar.
Madrid were one of the clubs that most vocally protested the game, saying it would undermine the integrity of the competition. Villarreal were officially the home team for the match, which was to be played at Hard Rock Stadium.
“Teams have to play home and away,” Courtois said. “Playing against a team at home and away is not the same thing. In the Spanish championship it is difficult to play away. Playing away at Villarreal is very difficult. Every team should play home and away unless there is a serious reason why it is not happening.”
Barcelona and Villarreal were ready to play the game abroad. Villarreal fans will be able to attend the match for free, and those who choose not to attend will receive a significant discount on their season ticket.
Barcelona said it respected the decision but regretted “the missed opportunity to enhance the image of competitors in a strategic market capable of growth and generating resources for the benefit of all.”
“The club appreciates the support and unconditional affection it has received from our fans in the United States and deeply regrets that they are unable to attend the official match in the country,” Barcelona said in a statement.
La Liga said the game is important to the league “in an increasingly competitive world where leagues such as the Premier League or competitions like the UEFA Champions League continue to expand their influence and ability to generate revenue.”
“Initiatives like this are essential to ensure the sustainability and growth of Spanish football,” the league said. “Rejecting such opportunities prevents the generation of new revenues, limits the ability of clubs to invest and compete, and reduces the international projection of the entire Spanish football ecosystem.”
The league said it will “continue to work as always to make Spanish football accessible in every corner of the world, promoting an open, modern and competitive vision that benefits clubs, players and fans alike.”
La Liga has a long-term partnership with sports and entertainment group Relevent Sports, which is part of Stephen Ross' portfolio of companies that includes Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Dolphins, Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix and the Miami Open tennis tournament.
Plans for La Liga play in Miami have been revived after FIFA dropped a lawsuit filed by Relevent in a Manhattan court. A few weeks later, FIFA said it would review its rules and created a working group including UEFA lawyers.
