A controversial match in the top division of Spanish football that was slated to be held in Miami at Hard Rock Stadium has been cancelled with less than two months to go.
This past weekend, players and managers in La Liga, the top division of Spanish soccer, staged protests and voiced their disapproval over the scheduled Dec. 20 match between Barcelona and Villarreal.
It would have been the first time that La Liga hosted a game outside of Spain since its inception in 1929.
La Liga told the Associated Press that it "deeply regret[s] that this project, which represented a historic and unparalleled opportunity for the international expansion of Spanish soccer, will not be able to move forward."
It also cited "uncertainty that has arisen in Spain over the past few weeks."
That uncertainty is likely a reference to a series of protests and condemnations spearheaded by the Spanish Footballer's Association (AFE), the players union.
AFE released a statement last week saying their opposition to the game in Miami was backed by all 20 captains of La Liga’s teams.
The statement said that the union: “Categorically rejects a project that lacks the approval of the main players in our sport and demands that the employers' association create a negotiating table where all information is shared and the exceptional characteristics of the project are analyzed, the needs and concerns of footballers are addressed, and the protection of their labor rights and compliance with current regulations are guaranteed.”
AFE authorized protests at this past weekend’s games for every team except Barcelona and Villarreal. Players at La Liga matches protested by refusing to play for the opening 15 seconds of each match.
“The protests are positive, because it's the feeling of many clubs. [The Miami game] has been done unilaterally, and that's what we're against,” said Real Madrid Manager Xabi Alonso in a press conference Saturday.
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The protests also included Barcelona, who chose to act even though AFE did not ask them to do so.
“We were not involved in this protest, but we did it out of respect for our fellow footballers,” said Barcelona midfielder Pedri.
However, many of the TV broadcasts did not show the protests. Choosing instead to show shots of the exterior of the stadiums or close-ups of the center circle. According to The Athletic, La Liga asked broadcasters not to show the protests.
“I don’t know why you’re surprised, they’ve been doing this for a long time,” said Real Madrid Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, “Hiding the protests is hiding, it’s manipulating, and it’s serious.”
Courtois also said that the match in Miami would have thrown off the competitive balance of the league. The game was originally slated to be a home game for Villarreal. Barcelona would technically be the away team in Miami, but due to the club’s international prestige its fans would likely have dominated the crowd.
“It distorts the competition,” he said. “In the NBA or the NFL, they play 82 games and it doesn’t change anything if they play elsewhere… I don’t think it’s right. We know that in La Liga playing against a team at home is not the same as playing away.”
In La Liga, teams play 38 games per season, one home and one away match against each of the other 19 teams in the league.
Courtois’ teammate, midfielder Dani Ceballos, was more direct in a social media video saying, “It’s clear they are adulterating the league.”
