In protest, both sets of players from La Liga's encounter between Real Oviedo and Espanyol refused to play the first 30 seconds of the match on Friday evening at the Estadio Municipal Carlos Tartiere. Eventually, it was played as Espanyol ran out 2–0 victors on away soil – but what was the reason behind the half-a-minute delay?
After the two sides combined forces for the better, Kike Garcia opened the scoring for Manolo Gonzalez's side in the 70th minute before Pere Milla doubled their lead 12 minutes later. They now sit fifth in Spain's top flight; Oviedo have crept into the relegation zone after their fourth loss in five outings.
La Liga, to ensure the protest was censored, opted against broadcasting the first 20 seconds of the match, so viewers at home would not see the aforementioned protest in action. Instead, during the first half-a-minute or so at least, the TV broadcast showed a sillhouette of Real Oviedo's 30,500-seater stadium – as seen above.
Why Real Oviedo and Espanyol Players Stood Still for 30 Seconds
real oviedo
It was an odd sight: the clock began to tick after referee Mateo Busquets Ferrer blew his whistle as per normal. The players, however, stood still and looked around at each other in solidarity; the managers on the sideline stood with their arms crossed waiting for the action to get underway. But it'll be a sight that became commonplace over the weekend.
The reason why all 22 players refused to move in the opening 30 seconds was because of La Liga's decision to hold a regular season game, Barcelona's meeting with Villarreal on Saturday December 20, in Miami. And, according to a report from The Guardian, it could be a trend seen across Spain this weekend as players look to hammer their point home.
Players, per the report, plan to pause for 15 seconds (at least) after kickoff in matches in the ninth round held from Friday through Monday.
In reaction to the news, the players' union said in a statement that the "players will protest in a symbolic fashion to denounce the lack of transparency, dialogue and coherence of La Liga regarding the possibility of playing a game in the United States."
The union claimed that captains of all 20 sides who ply their trade in La Liga were in agreement that a protest was necessary as a means of showcasing their disdain. That said, the union added that Barcelona and Villarreal players have not been asked to take part, though they evidently do "share the basic premise of the protest."
Barcelona's encounter with Villarreal has been handpicked as the fixture to take place in Miami, Florida. They are not the only teams that have been subject to a bizarre location change, though, as UEFA have also granted Serie A permission to hold AC Milan's contest with FC Como in Perth, Australia.
FC Barcelona coach Hansi Flick
Earlier on Friday, Hansi Flick of Barcelona announced that those associated with the club were not too pleased to learn they'd be travelling 7,200km (4,500 miles) for a regular La Liga fixture. "My players are not happy, I am not happy, but La Liga decided that we will play this game," the German tactician said when quizzed at a press conference.
Elsewhere, Barcelona's Joan Laporta is on board with the idea as it represents the chance for La Blaugrana to make a dent in the American sports market. The match in question is set to be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, home to the Miami Dolphins. La Liga have chartered plans to fly between 2 and 3,000 Villarreal fans to Florida.