All 22 players who started Real Oviedo’s clash vs Espanyol on Friday paused for 15 seconds at the beginning of the match to protest the decision to play La Liga fixtures abroad.
Players in La Liga are staging a protest this weekend over the league’s controversial decision to move the fixture between Villarreal and Barcelona to Miami. It was announced by La Liga earlier this month that December’s meeting would become the first ever European league match to be played abroad.
The decision has been met with backlash, particularly from players, supporters and even FIFA, who are attempting to ban such moves. Ahead of this weekend’s ninth round of matches in La Liga, a statement from the players’ union confirmed that all stars would pause for 15 seconds at the beginning of games in a show of solidarity against La Liga matches being played on foreign soil.
On Friday night, the first game between Real Oviedo and Espanyol took place, and both sets of players followed through. But the protest wasn’t shown on TV, as the official La Liga broadcast cut away to a birds-eye view of Oviedo’s stadium for around 20 seconds before play started.
It comes after Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong spoke out against La Liga’s decision, followed by manager Hansi Flick. “My players are not happy, I am not happy, but La Liga decided that we will play this game,” Flick said.
La Liga president Javier Tebas has defended moving fixtures abroad, arguing that it’ll increase ‘revenues in the mid to long term’ and the value of Spanish football’s television rights, which pale in comparison to those of the Premier League. The match, which will see Villarreal lose home advantage, is to be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, home of NFL giants Miami Dolphins and a venue for the World Cup next summer.
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The league have already chartered planes to Florida and estimate that between 2,000 to 3,000 of Villarreal’s fans will be on board. But it remains to be seen whether the players intend to travel.
A statement which was issued on Friday read: “The Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE), with the support of the First Division captains, announces that during all matches corresponding to the ninth round of the La Liga season, at the start of each match, the players will stage a symbolic protest against La Liga’s lack of transparency, dialogue and consistency regarding the possibility of playing a competition match in the United States.
“The union has decided to keep the players of FC Barcelona and Villarreal CF, the clubs requesting the project, out of the initiative, despite sharing the underlying position and critical points, to avoid the protest action being interpreted as a possible measure against any club.
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“In view of La Liga’s constant refusals and unrealistic proposals, the Spanish Footballers’ Association categorically rejects a project that does not have the approval of the main protagonists of our sport.
“The AFE demands that the employers’ association set up a negotiating table at which all information is shared and the exceptional characteristics of the project are analysed, the needs and concerns of the players are addressed, and the protection of their labour rights and compliance with current regulations are guaranteed.”
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