MADRID (AP) — The Spanish soccer league mentioned Tuesday that plans for Barcelona to play a regular-season sport towards Villarreal exterior Miami in December have been referred to as off, a choice that comes following elevated opposition to the match domestically.
The league mentioned the choice was made after conversations with the promoter of the deliberate Dec. 20 match and cited the “uncertainty that has arisen in Spain over the past few weeks.”
Recreation promoter Relevent mentioned it knowledgeable La Liga of the necessity to “postpone the planned match” as a result of “there is insufficient time to properly execute an event of this scale.” It added that “it would also be irresponsible to begin selling tickets without a confirmed match in place.”
The league had lastly succeeded in getting approval from soccer our bodies similar to UEFA and the Spanish federation to stage its first regular-season sport overseas.
However opposition by gamers, some golf equipment and followers had grown lately in Spain.
The Spanish league “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.”
The league mentioned “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.”
It mentioned “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.”
However the criticism towards the sport had grown lately, with gamers protesting throughout the weekend league video games by standing nonetheless for a couple of seconds after kickoff.
Earlier Tuesday, Actual Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois criticized Spanish league president Javier Tebas and complained in regards to the league’s choice to censor the protests by the gamers. The tv feed of video games switched earlier than kickoff to an exterior view of the stadiums and solely confirmed a part of the fields from distance.
Madrid has been one of many golf equipment most loudly protesting towards the sport, saying it could alter the equity of the competitors. Villarreal was formally the house crew for the match that was set to be performed at Laborious Rock Stadium.
“Teams should play home and away,” Courtois mentioned. “It’s not the same to play against a team at home and away. It’s hard to play on the road in the Spanish league. Playing on the road at Villarreal’s field is very tough. Every team has to play at home and away unless there is a major reason for that not to happen.”
Barcelona and Villarreal had been on board with taking part in the sport overseas. Villarreal followers would have the ability to journey to the match freed from cost, and people who selected to not attend would obtain a hefty low cost on their season ticket.
Barcelona mentioned it revered the choice however regretted “the missed opportunity to expand the competition’s image in a strategic market with the capacity for growth and resource generation for the benefit of all.”
“The club appreciates the support and unconditional affection it has received from our fans in the United States and deeply regrets that they are unable to attend the official match in the country,” Barcelona mentioned in an announcement.
La Liga mentioned the sport was necessary for the league “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,” the league mentioned. “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.”
The league mentioned it “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.”
La Liga has a long-term partnership with sports activities and leisure group Relevent Sports, which is a part of Stephen Ross’ portfolio of firms that features Laborious Rock Stadium, the Miami Dolphins, Method One’s Miami Grand Prix and the Miami Open tennis event.
Plans for the La Liga sport in Miami had been renewed after FIFA withdrew from a authorized motion introduced by Relevent in a Manhattan court docket. Weeks later, FIFA mentioned it could evaluate its guidelines and created a working group that features UEFA attorneys.
