MONACO, MONACO - OCTOBER 29: Javier Tebas, La Liga president give a speech during the SPORTEL Monaco 2024 - Global Sports Media & Technology Convention - Day Two at Grimaldi Forum on October 29, 2024 in Monaco, Monaco. (Photo by Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images For Sportel)
Photo by Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images For Sportel
Real Madrid released an official statement recently, expressing their opposition to La Liga’s proposal of hosting a league match between Villarreal and FC Barcelona in the USA.
The league game, scheduled to take place in December at El Madrigal, could now be played at The Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, US – an idea that has not gone down too well with Real Madrid and several other La Liga clubs.
Los Blancos, in their statement, questioned the decision, claiming that moving away from the home-and-away format of the league would adulterate the integrity of the competition.
Now, La Liga president Javier Tebas has criticised the reaction of Real Madrid regarding Barcelona’s proposed match against Villarreal in Miami, insisting that there are many other factors which also affect the competition but are rarely questioned.
In an interview with Radio Nacional (h/t SPORT), he took the opportunity to direct sharp criticism at Real Madrid, with whom he has long been at odds.
Tebas rejected Real Madrid’s view that hosting the match in Miami would distort the competition and countered it by citing the registration of the Merengues’ new signing Franco Mastantuono as a reserve-team player.
franco mastantuono
Real Madrid gave Mastantuono No. 30. (Photo courtesy: Real Madrid official website)
The 18-year-old gem, who arrived from River Plate this summer in a big-money deal, has been registered by Real Madrid with a reserve team number (#30) so as to leave a spot vacant in the 25-man first-team roster.
Tebas believes this is permissible, but that it nevertheless affects the competition in the same way as the match in Miami.
“First Division teams have 25 players and Real Madrid has given him No. 30, a reserve team record, to a player who is not going to play a single minute with the reserve team,” he said.
“Vinicius was registered with the reserve team and did play with the reserve team. So if there is a concern about integrity, we have to talk about all this too. I think they can do it,” he added.
Tebas then pointed to the 2020 pandemic, when Real Madrid were allowed to play at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium while works continued at the Santiago Bernabeu, saying:
“During COVID, the only team that was allowed to change stadiums in order to move forward with construction was Real Madrid. Did that affect the competition? No. I don’t understand all the fuss.”
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JUNE 18: Rodrygo #11 of Real Madrid C.F. controls the ball during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group H match between Real Madrid CF and Al Hilal at Hard Rock Stadium on June 18, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JUNE 18: Rodrygo #11 of Real Madrid C.F. controls the ball during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group H match between Real Madrid CF and Al Hilal at Hard Rock Stadium on June 18, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 10: Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace holds the trophy aloft after their victory in the 2025 FA Community Shield match between Crystal Palace and Liverpool at Wembley Stadium on August 10, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
Adam Wharton is a target for Real Madrid. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)