LaLiga cancels plans to stage Barcelona-Villarreal match in Miami

The controversial plan to stage the LaLiga match between Barcelona and Villarreal in Miami in December has been cancelled, the league has announced.

LaLiga said the decision had been made “due to the uncertainty that has arisen in Spain over the past few weeks”.

The plan had come in for heavy criticism, with claims it would affect the competition’s integrity. Villarreal would have been the designated home team, but it was much more likely to have felt like an extra home game for Barca, given their global fanbase.

Players protested against the move in the current round of LaLiga matches by refusing to move for the first few seconds of each game.

LaLiga said in a statement on Tuesday night: “LaLiga deeply regrets that this project, which represented a historic and unparalleled opportunity for the international expansion of Spanish soccer, will not be able to move forward.

“Holding an official match outside our borders would have been a decisive step in the global growth of the competition, strengthening the international presence of clubs, the positioning of players, and the visibility of Spanish soccer in a strategic market such as the United States.

“The project fully complied with all federative regulations and did not affect the integrity of the competition, as confirmed by the competent institutions responsible for ensuring compliance, which opposed it for other reasons.

“In an increasingly competitive global landscape, where leagues such as the Premier League or competitions like the UEFA Champions League continue to expand their reach and ability to generate revenue, initiatives like this are essential to ensure the sustainability and growth of Spanish soccer.

“Renouncing such opportunities hinders the generation of new income, limits clubs’ capacity to invest and compete and reduces the international projection of the entire Spanish soccer ecosystem.

“Finally, we wish to thank the clubs for their willingness and collaboration in this project, as well as for their continued commitment to the growth of the competition.

“From LaLiga, we will continue, as always, to work to bring Spanish soccer to every corner of the world, promoting an open, modern and competitive vision that benefits clubs, players, and fans alike.”

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had earlier pulled no punches in his assessment of the Miami match.

Speaking before the plan was shelved ahead of his side’s Champions League match against Juventus on Wednesday night, he told a press conference: “It adulterates the competition, totally.

“They (LaLiga) put it in because it’s in their interest to do that and it adulterates the competition, plus it doesn’t comply with the players’ agreement.

“We have to play at home and away. It’s not the same to play a team at home and away.

“In LaLiga, playing away from home is very complicated, as has happened to us against Real Sociedad or Getafe.

“They are complicated games and Villarreal away is a difficult game. Then you can win or lose, but everyone has to play at home and away from home except for force majeure.”