Barcelona will face Villarreal in Miami in a La Liga match on December 20, the Spanish top flight said yesterday, making it the first European league fixture to be played abroad.
Earlier this week, European football governing body UEFA said it opposed the idea of games being played overseas but would permit it on an exceptional basis, along with a Serie A match in Australia in February between AC Milan and Como, reports AFP.
“With this match, we take a historic step that projects La Liga and Spanish football into a new dimension,” said La Liga president Javier Tebas in a statement.
“We understand and respect the concerns that this decision may generate, but it is important to put it into context — it is a single match out of the 380 that make up the season,” Tebas added.
The game was due to be played at Villarreal’s home stadium, but will now take place at the Hard Rock Stadium in the United States, in Florida.
Villarreal will take measures to compensate season ticket holders after the game was moved.
“Villarreal season ticket holders will be able to travel for free to the match, and those who choose not to travel to Miami will enjoy a 30 per cent discount on their season ticket price as part of the measures designed to reward their support and loyalty,” said La Liga.
‘Complete Opposition’
In September, a total of 18 fan groups from both teams involved expressed their “complete opposition” to the match taking place abroad.
La Liga has attempted to play matches overseas dating back to 2017, but the
Spanish football federation (RFEF) frequently resisted, despite hosting the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia itself.
Barcelona’s rivals, Real Madrid, have also expressed their disapproval at the decision to take a La Liga game abroad.
They said in August that hosting the game in Miami would “alter the competitive balance” of the league and set an “unacceptable precedent”.
