La Liga President Furious Over Cancelled 'Cash Grab' Plan

La Liga President Javier Tebas expressed clear frustration when the plan to hold the Barcelona versus Villarreal match in the U.S. was called off, stating that Spanish football has missed a prime chance to gain worldwide recognition.

La Liga President Javier Tebas voiced deep disappointment following the official cancellation of the plan to stage the Barcelona versus Villarreal match in Miami this December. He described it as “a lost opportunity” for Spanish football to go global and asserted that opponents are hindering the development of the domestic game.

The proposal to host a La Liga match in the U.S. faced fierce criticism, mainly due to concerns about the competition’s fairness. In recent rounds, several players even stood still for a few seconds at the start of matches to protest the decision. Facing significant pressure and instability in Spain, La Liga organizers had no choice but to cancel the plan.

Nonetheless, Tebas remains firm in defending his idea. On social media, he wrote: “Today, Spanish football has lost the chance to advance, broaden its global influence, and secure its future. Those citing ‘tradition’ are only viewing matters with a narrow, local mindset.”

Tebas also criticized those who claim that holding matches abroad affects the “integrity of the competition”: “They are the same people who for years have pressured referees, used the media as a tool, and now talk about ‘fairness.’ That is contradictory.”

The La Liga president thanked Barcelona and Villarreal for their willingness to participate in the project, which he said “was not for personal gain but for the overall development of Spanish football.”

“We will keep striving to make La Liga more competitive and sustainable while preserving its traditional identity. Spanish football must look to the future with ambition, not fear,” Tebas affirmed.

If approved, Villarreal would be the nominal home team, but with Barcelona’s large fan base in the U.S., the match would effectively serve as an “extended home game” for the Catalan club.