It has been almost 20 years since Villarreal last defeated FC Barcelona at their stadium in La Liga, but it had also been 10 years since Barça had lost in Seville. Statistics are just numbers, they cannot change the feeling that a match between the yellow and blue would be more favorable to Marcelino's team if played at La Cerámica in front of over 23,000 local fans. However, that match will be played, if nothing changes, on December 20 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, among the 65,000 fans, despite Fernando Roig's initiative to pay for fans' flights who want to attend, there will be more blue and red flags waving than yellow ones.
"They adulterate the competition because one plays as the home team without being so," point out from AFE. The footballers' union has been the most combative organization against the match that LaLiga has been pursuing for years. They say from the association that they are not opposed per se to the match, but they require more information and, above all, protection for players who are already facing a saturated schedule.
For AFE, it was a surprise the UEFA statement in which both the sin and the penance were written. On one hand, the organization authorizes the realization of the match of the 17th round of LaLiga EA Sports between Villarreal and FC Barcelona in Miami, as well as Milan - Como in Australia. On the other hand, it mentions that it "does not set a precedent" and its own president, Aleksander Ceferin, describes it as "regrettable" to allow a match to be played in another country, as it aims to ensure and protect that football and its local leagues remain rooted in their local environment.
That environment, led by the Villarreal Supporters' Group regarding the match in Miami, states: "In general, the desire is to enjoy the match in Spain, but they understand the club's economic needs to continue growing." A political stance in a battle between sport and entertainment with many actors involved, but only a few protagonists: the footballers.
In the coming days, the captains of the 20 teams in La Liga will meet again to study the implications of this match. In their first meeting on August 21, the feeling was one of "anger" due to the lack of information. Their main concerns are that this match could open the door to other matches abroad, that it could require extra effort without economic benefit, and that the mandatory rest periods in such a tight schedule may not be respected.
LaLiga believes that these positions could change once they are informed about everything related to a match that the league has been fighting for years. They are interested in ensuring that the realization of this match gathers as much consensus as possible. They point out that it is not yet 100% confirmed, awaiting authorization from CONCACAF and FIFA, but they understand that it is progressing well and will continue working to make it happen despite the effort it entails for both clubs' squads.
Eric García, during the last Villarreal-Barça match, in September 2024.BARÇA
The realization of this match violates several articles of the professional football collective agreement. The eighth, which refers to a maximum concentration time before a match: 36 hours for the home team and 72 for the visiting team, and the ninth, which specifies rest periods of at least a day and a half for the players after a match.
The Copa del Rey round of 32 is scheduled for December 16 and 17, and it is possible that one or both teams are involved in the competition. The RFEF would need to find new dates for those matches to not violate those articles, which would not be easy given the schedule. The Federation does not want to make assessments on something that is not yet confirmed and explains that they have been mere "conduits" for the clubs' request to UEFA.
Several sports health specialists explain to EL MUNDO that the physical consequences for the footballers should not be severe depending on the adaptation time they have for the trip and adjusting to the six-hour time difference between Madrid and Miami. Juanjo Álvarez, a specialist in sports medicine, says that the key is the adaptation days between matches to avoid insomnia, fatigue, and an increased risk of injury.
According to elite athlete trainer Vicente Calvo, between six and seven days would be more than enough time to play in the North American city. "A week of Champions League is much more aggressive from an adaptive point of view," explains the specialist, pointing out that professional athletes have a higher adaptation threshold. Physiotherapist and director of Fisio Dynamic, Miguel Ángel Cordero, agrees with Calvo that footballers have "adapted body structures" for such trips and compares them to international breaks. He states that the worst part is the inactivity during the flight, which can lead to additional fatigue.
"A week of Champions League is much more aggressive from an adaptive point of view"
Being the last match before the Christmas break softens the impact on the professionals' health in this perpetual battle between sport and entertainment/profit. In fact, this match could mean between five and six million euros for the participants, a bit more for Villarreal due to the loss of ticket sales.
With FIFA still working on specific regulations for organizing these matches, AFE wonders who will prevent two LaLiga teams from wanting to play a new match outside our borders. It is understood that Real Madrid, whose close sources describe this match as an "anomaly," will not be one of them, but others could. Atletico and Girona were already candidates to play against Barcelona in Miami, but Luis Rubiales, then president of the RFEF, opposed it.