In a statement, Real Madrid publicly declared its opposition to the Villarreal-Barcelona game being played in Miami. Furthermore, it stated that it has already requested FIFA, UEFA, and the Higher Council of Sports to deny the RFEF’s request, arguing the proposal “breaks the parity between contenders”.
Real Madrid has publicly announced its opposition to the staging of the Villarreal-Barcelona match in Miami through a stern statement. In it, the ‘Merengues’ assert that moving the fixture away from its home stadium “breaks the parity between contenders” and reveal they have already asked FIFA and UEFA to reject the RFEF’s petition.
Within their written statement, the club expresses “its strongest rejection” of the proposal, maintaining it was “promoted without prior information or consultation with the participating clubs in said competition”. This, they argue, “violates the essential principle of territorial reciprocity that governs two-legged league competitions (one home match and the other at the opposing team’s ground), altering competitive balance and granting an undue sporting advantage to the applicant clubs”.
“The integrity of the competition demands that all matches be played under the same conditions for all teams. Unilaterally modifying this regime breaks the parity between contenders, compromises the legitimacy of results, and sets an unacceptable precedent that opens the door to exceptions based on interests unrelated to strictly sporting matters, with clear implications for sporting integrity and the risk of adulterating the competition,” the Madrid statement continues.
“If this proposal were to go ahead, its consequences would be so severe that they would represent a before and after for the world of football,” the text adds, with Real Madrid demanding that any proposal to move a league match out of the country must have the express and unanimous agreement of all participating clubs in the competition.
As mentioned, Real Madrid has already submitted a request to both FIFA and UEFA to deny the match, urging them to prioritise “the criterion established in 2018 which prevents official domestic competition matches from being played outside national territory except in exceptional, duly justified circumstances, which are not present here”.
Finally, the Spanish side have also contacted the Higher Council of Sports “to ensure they do not grant the necessary administrative authorisation without said unanimous consent”. They also warn that they will “defend” compliance with “national and international rules that guarantee fairness and the proper functioning of official competitions” before all “competent authorities”.
