"From La Liga's leadership vantage point, it seems that letting go of this match is regrettable. They view the United States as a strategic growth market and argue that skipping opportunities like this one limits clubs' ability to generate revenue and stay competitive globally. Their statement makes no secret of that ambition: brand expansion comes first. But football is not just about branding, and the pushback reflects more than nostalgia."
"For clubs like Barcelona and Villarreal, competing on multiple fronts already demands everything. Dropping in a 7,200-kilometre round-trip flight with multiple time zones in December would have been an extra burden. Barcelona manager Hansi Flick and midfielder Frenkie de Jong voiced discomfort with the proposal. Medical research on travel, fatigue and injury risk is crystal clear: long-haul flights in peak season are anything but trivial."
La Liga and promoter Relevent Sports cancelled the planned Barcelona–Villarreal La Liga match in Miami, citing uncertainty in Spain and insufficient time. La Liga views the United States as a strategic growth market and prioritizes brand expansion to generate revenue and maintain global competitiveness. Players and managers expressed discomfort with the transatlantic trip, noting that long-haul flights in peak season increase fatigue and injury risk. Many Villarreal supporters faced losing a home fixture, undermining home-and-away competitive balance. The cancellation removes an added burden on elite athletes and preserves local fan interests over a commercially driven relocation.
Read at Barca Blaugranes
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