'A clear distortion of the competition!' - Dani Carvajal joins long list of stars to slam La Liga over cancelled Miami match plan in wake of player protests

Madrid captain Carvajal has strongly criticised La Liga’s now-cancelled plan to hold the Villarreal vs Barcelona match in Miami, branding the idea as “a clear adulteration of the competition.” Speaking to Teledeporte, the veteran defender argued that moving official league games abroad undermines the principles of fairness and equal competition.

“I think it’s a clear adulteration of the competition, which doesn’t allow all La Liga teams to compete on the same footing,” Carvajal said. “It’s essential that we, the players, clubs, and the League itself, be fair. We’ll have to advocate for fairness, and I don’t think this does it.”

The match, which was scheduled for December 20 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, would have been the first official La Liga game played outside Spain. However, growing resistance from players, coaches, and fans led to the cancellation earlier this week.

The Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE) spearheaded protests against La Liga’s plans, calling for “transparency, dialogue, and coherence” from the governing body. Players across all 20 top-flight clubs symbolically paused for the first 15 seconds of their matches over the weekend to express their disapproval.

In an official statement, AFE emphasised that footballers’ working conditions must remain consistent and fair across all matches, warning that overseas fixtures could disadvantage teams due to travel, climate, and scheduling disruptions. “Footballers’ conditions must be the same in all matches,” the statement read, underlining the players’ concerns about competitive imbalance.

Real Madrid’s dressing room has been one of the most vocal in opposing the move. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois joined Carvajal in condemning the plan, stating at a press conference: “It adulterates the competition, totally. They put it in because it’s in their interest to do that, but it doesn’t comply with the players’ agreement. Everyone has to play at home and away, apart from force majeure.”

The pushback extended beyond just Real Madrid as players, clubs, and fans across Spain united in their opposition to what many viewed as a commercial decision that ignored sporting integrity. Several team captains publicly criticised La Liga for prioritising financial gains over fairness, with Espanyol captain Leandro Cabrera telling Cadena SER: “All we ask for is transparency, respect, and coherence. If everything is honest, why not sit down and talk before selling tickets?”

Even Barcelona coach Hansi Flick and his players were reluctant about the prospect of long-distance travel in the middle of a congested calendar. “My players are not happy, I am not happy, but La Liga decided that we will play this game,” Flick said in his pre-match press conference. Frenkie de Jong also voiced concern over the excessive travel demands, stating that players are already overloaded with games and commitments.

The growing dissatisfaction, coupled with public protests, created mounting pressure on La Liga president Javier Tebas, who has defended the plan as a necessary step to increase the league’s global reach.

Despite UEFA’s initial “exceptional” approval for the match, the controversy proved too divisive. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin made it clear that the decision did not set a precedent, even as La Liga sought to follow Serie A’s lead in taking games abroad.

Eventually, La Liga announced the cancellation of the Miami fixture, citing “the uncertainty that has arisen in Spain over the past few weeks.” In a statement, the league expressed “deep regret” over the decision, calling it “a missed opportunity for international expansion.” The league argued that the move complied with all regulations and would not have affected the integrity of the competition.

Promoter Relevent Sports, which collaborated with Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross on the project, said the event was “postponed” due to logistical challenges and timing constraints. The decision means Villarreal vs Barcelona will now take place as originally scheduled at Estadio de la Ceramica.

The collapse of the Miami plan has raised serious doubts about La Liga’s future international ambitions. President Javier Tebas has long expressed a desire to make overseas matches a regular part of the league calendar, hoping to emulate the global appeal of the Premier League and NFL.

However, the fierce backlash from players, unions, and fans suggests such plans may face even stronger resistance moving forward. For now, the focus shifts back to domestic competition, with Barcelona now preparing for their real challenge as they are bracing themselves for a highly-anticipated El Clasico against Carvajal's Madrid. Meanwhile, Villarreal will face Valencia this weekend as attention returns to on-pitch matters.