The cancellation of the highly anticipated La Liga fixture between Villarreal and Barcelona in Miami has ignited a fresh public feud between league president Javier Tebas and Real Madrid.
The controversial plan to host a regular-season game in the U.S. was shelved this week, which Tebas lamented as “a defeat for Spanish football’s future.”
The league president subsequently took aim at Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who had been a vocal opponent of the transatlantic fixture, arguing it would “adulterate the competition.”
Tebas suggested that the veteran player was merely echoing the club’s corporate line. Real Madrid, who have long maintained the move compromises sporting integrity, have been widely credited, or blamed, for contributing to the project’s demise.
In a sharp public response, Tebas did not mince words regarding the club’s consistent opposition. His comments drew immediate attention for their direct targeting of a high-profile player.
Tebas argued that the constant focus on “tradition” and “integrity” was a narrow-minded stance obstructing the league’s global ambitions and financial growth.
Tebas stated: “Real Madrid players only know to say adulterated, adulterated, adulterated.”He continued the criticism, directly linking the player’s comments to the club’s senior management:
“I hear Courtois and it sounds just like their CEO Jose Angel Sanchez talking. Of course, what are the Real Madrid players going to say.”
The club maintains its stance is based on preserving fairness, insisting that removing a home fixture from a La Liga team creates unequal competitive conditions across the division.
Despite the significant pushback, Tebas vowed to continue pursuing international expansion, stating: “Spanish football deserves to look to the future with ambition, not with fear. We will keep trying.”