Overview
- LaLiga has scheduled Villarreal vs. Barcelona for Dec. 20 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami following UEFA’s exceptional, reluctant approval, with tickets expected to go on sale this week.
- Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois said the move "totally affects the integrity of the competition," contrasting it with NBA and NFL processes that involve far more games or owner votes.
- Dani Carvajal called the shift a manipulation of the competition, arguing Villarreal lose home advantage and that Barcelona’s global fanbase would create an imbalance.
- Players protested last weekend by standing still for the opening seconds of matches, and several broadcasts cut away from the action, which Courtois criticized as censorship.
- Real Madrid has filed complaints with Spain’s Sports Ministry and asked UEFA and the Spanish federation to reject the plan, while LaLiga’s Javier Tebas defends it as a one‑off to engage global fans.