Real Madrid vs. Barça in Miami: Controversy over La Liga match

Real Madrid Rejects LaLiga Plan to Play Match in United States

Real Madrid has expressed its outright rejection of LaLiga’s proposal to play the match of matchday 17 between Villarreal and Barcelona in the United States, calling the initiative detrimental to sporting integrity. The merengue club believes that this measure would give an undue sporting advantage to the teams involved and would set an unacceptable precedent for the future of Spanish football. Last Monday, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) approved the request for the match, scheduled for the weekend of December 20, to be played at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

Real Madrid has stated its position through an official statement, where it argues that the initiative, implemented without prior consultation with the clubs, violates the principle of territorial reciprocity that governs league competitions, altering the competitive balance. The integrity of the competition demands that all matches be held under the same conditions for all teams. Unilaterally modifying this regime violates the equality between the contenders, compromises the legitimacy of the results, and sets an unacceptable precedent. The white club has asked FIFA not to authorize the match without the consent of all participating clubs and has urged UEFA to pressure the RFEF to withdraw its request, as well as the Higher Sports Council (CSD) to deny its authorization. LaLiga had initially proposed playing an official match in Miami during the 2018-19 season, but was forced to postpone its plans due to opposition from FIFA, the RFEF, and the United States Soccer Federation. Real Madrid has had several disagreements with LaLiga in recent years, expressing its discontent with the management of Javier Tebas, president of the league. Real Madrid warns that, if this proposal is carried out, the consequences could mark a turning point in the world of football, and any modification of this type should have the express and unanimous agreement of all participating clubs.