The collapse of La Liga’s plan to stage a fixture between Barcelona and Villarreal CF in Miami this December has been labeled a “missed opportunity” by league president Javier Tebas, while players and fan groups celebrated the reversal.
The match, which would have been the first European league fixture played abroad, was cancelled by the promoter citing “uncertainty generated in Spain in recent weeks.”
Tebas expressed regret on social media at not being able to seize “this historic opportunity,” adding that Spanish football missed a chance to “develop, to project itself in the world and reinforce its future.”
He further criticized opponents, stating: “We are appealing to the ‘integrity of the competition’ from those who have been questioning this same integrity for years…”
The cancellation followed widespread criticism and protests, including action from the Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE), who celebrated the news. The AFE highlighted the league’s “lack of transparency, dialogue, and coherence,” adding:
“The players spoke out unanimously on the pitch last week to send a powerful message: without players, there is no football.”
Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal had previously called the foreign match “a stain” on the competition.