FC Barcelona has formally responded to the cancellation of the highly anticipated and highly controversial Villarreal CF fixture that was set to be played in Miami this December, voicing regret over what
it called “a lost opportunity” to grow both the club’s and La Liga’s international reach.
Just a little after La Liga announced that the U.S. match would not go ahead – following Relevent Sports’ decision to withdraw due to “uncertainty generated in Spain” – Barça issued a statement striking a tone of respect mixed with frustration.
“FC Barcelona respects and abides by the decision to cancel the match that would have been played against Villarreal in Miami,” the statement read. “The club laments the lost opportunity to expand the image of the competition in a strategic market with capacity for growth and resource generation that benefits all clubs.”
Both Barcelona and Villarreal had agreed to the plan and were preparing for the December 20 showdown, part of La Liga’s ongoing effort to stage a competitive fixture in the United States. Opposition came from several Spanish clubs, perhaps most vocally Real Madrid CF, which reportedly pressed UEFA, CONCACAF, and Spain’s sports council (CSD) to block the proposal.
While La Liga framed the decision as a matter of practicality, within Barcelona it’s reportedly seen as a setback for the league’s global ambitions. Club president Joan Laporta, who addressed the issue during the club’s general assembly, had previously backed the Miami plan as a forward-looking project for both the league and its participating teams.
The statement also included a message to U.S.-based fans: “The club thanks our supporters in the United States for their unconditional love and deeply regrets that they will be deprived of witnessing an official match in their country.”
