17th October 2025
October 17 – The much-hyped Villarreal–Barcelona LaLiga game that may, or may not, take place in Miami this December has once again descended into confusion and contradiction.
What was announced with fanfare now sits on the cliff’s edge, as the Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE) has entered the conversation with opposition to the USA excursion, leaving league officials scrambling to keep the project alive.
AFE president David Aganzo has been the most vocal critic. He points out that the most important participants in the entire adventure, the players, have been left in the dark about the logistics, travel plans, and contractual details surrounding the proposed transatlantic fixture.
“We wanted transparency and respect,” Aganzo said this week. “It’s the players who play these games – football is improving, but the conditions have to improve too.”
Since LaLiga first floated the idea of staging league matches abroad back in 2017, every attempt has been met with widespread international and domestic resistance with seeming only LaLiga, its president Javier Tebas, its US promoter Relevent, and a handful of clubs, in favor
Tebas has been the principal driver of the fixture and is seemingly determined for the match to go ahead. Yet, for the players and supporters, the issue is one of fairness and principle. Villarreal would lose home advantage, and Barça, with its massive international fan base, would probably experience an atmosphere akin to a home game. “Outside Spain, it’ll be like Barça are at home,” said Aganzo.
Even players are split. Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong understands why smaller clubs feel aggrieved, while Real Madrid’s Dani Ceballos went further, calling the proposal an “adulteration” of the competition.
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