'Excuse to kill the project': La Liga president on Barca match in Miami being cancelled

La Liga’s plan to stage a Barcelona match in Miami this December has been cancelled, with the league’s president, Javier Tebas, calling it a “missed opportunity” for Spanish football.The fixture, which would have seen Champions Barcelona face Villarreal on December 20 in the United States, was set to be the first-ever European league game played abroad. Following the cancellation, the match will now take place as scheduled at Villarreal’s Estadio de la Cerámica.

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La Liga said the decision came after its promoter pulled out due to “uncertainty generated in Spain in recent weeks.” The move had been heavily criticised in the country, drawing protests from players and opposition from other clubs.The Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE) staged demonstrations last weekend, with players pausing for 15 seconds at the start of matches to show their disapproval. Real Madrid also expressed opposition to the plan, arguing that playing abroad could undermine the league’s competitive integrity.Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said the proposal “would adulterate the competition,” while Madrid captain Dani Carvajal described it as “a stain” on La Liga.

Despite the pushback, Tebas defended the league’s intentions, lamenting the missed chance to grow Spanish football internationally. He wrote on X, “This historic opportunity has been lost. We miss a chance to develop, to project ourselves in the world and reinforce our future.”"And others, perhaps unknowingly and in good faith, have been drawn into debates about information that was already addressed in 2018, where that supposed “information”—which they had then and have now—was merely an excuse to kill the project," he further added.

He also criticised critics who questioned La Liga’s motives, saying, “We are appealing to the 'integrity of the competition' from those who have been questioning this same integrity for years, putting pressure on referees and managers, constructing distorted narratives or using political and media pressure as a sporting tool.”

The cancelled Miami match would have been a landmark event as per the league president, highlighting La Liga’s ambition to expand its global reach. With the game now returning to Spain, attention will shift back to domestic competition, while discussions about future international fixtures are expected to continue.