Villarreal-Barça Miami La Liga game called off

Barcelona's controversial trip to Miami this December has been called off, as La Liga informed on Tuesday evening that, following discussions with promoters, the game has been cancelled "due to the uncertainty generated in Spain in recent weeks."

La Liga "deeply regrets that this project, which represented a historic and unparalleled opportunity for the internationalization of Spanish football, cannot go ahead."

FC Barcelona echoed that sentiment, regretting the "missed opportunity to expand the image of the competition to a strategic market."

 

A La Liga statement said the match would have been "a decisive step in the global expansion of our competition."

The topic of hosting the game abroad has generated controversy since plans were unveiled earlier this season. 

Some critics have said that the competition would be adulterated, as the change of venue would have meant that not all teams fundamentally play the same calendar. 

Many voices within football also criticized the decision to take a football game away from local fans.