La Liga has confirmed plans “practically finalised” following approval from both Uefa and the Spanish federation
Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has become one of the first players to publicly criticise La Liga’s decision to stage Villarreal’s home match against Barcelona in Miami this December.
De Jong said he understood the commercial motivations behind the move but described it as unfair to players and to the competition itself.
“I don’t like it,” said De Jong. “I can understand the clubs financially. They will profit and grow their brand, but it’s not good for the players.
“You have to travel a lot. It’s also not fair in terms of competition. For us, it’s now an away match on neutral ground. I totally understand if other clubs aren’t happy about that.”
The Villarreal-Barcelona match was originally meant to be played at the Estadio de la Ceramica in Villareal. It will now be held at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on 20 December, marking the first time a European league match will be played outside its home country.
La Liga president Javier Tebas confirmed that the fixture is “practically finalised”.
The decision follows Uefa’s reluctant approval earlier in the week, as well as clearance from Spain’s football federation (RFEF) in August.
The agreement, however, continues to divide opinion. Real Madrid have already voiced their disapproval, warning it “distorts the competition” and “creates an undue advantage” for the teams involved.
Instead of a tricky away fixture, Barcelona will now play at a neutral ground, while Villareal lose their home advantage.
The Spanish players’ union (AFE) also criticised the plan, arguing that players were not properly consulted and that it undermines domestic football’s structure.
