The Barcelona vs. Villarreal match at MetLife Stadium in Miami has been confirmed, marking the first La Liga match to be played abroad. The secret behind this lies in the huge financial gains that will accrue to both clubs.
As newspaper revealed that both Barcelona and Villarreal will earn at least €5-7 million from hosting the match in the United States, prompting both clubs to defy opposition and insist on going to the United States next December.
At the same time, both clubs are allocating a portion of this money to transport Spanish fans who wish to watch the match to the United States for free.
Villarreal president Fernando Roig said, “Any season ticket holder who wants to go to Miami to watch the match will do so for free, including travel and attendance.”
UEFA had agreed to hold the match in the United States, but at the same time expressed its dissatisfaction with it and hoped the idea would not be repeated again, considering it undermines the enjoyment of football on the one hand and reduces fair competition in domestic competitions on the other.
Barcelona captain Frenkie de Jong also expressed his dissatisfaction with the idea, saying, “I can understand the clubs’ position; they will benefit from it, but I wouldn’t have made that decision myself, and I don’t agree with it. It’s unfair from a competitive perspective.”
