La Liga president Javier Tebas sparked controversy after making statements attacking Real Madrid over the club’s refusal to hold the Barcelona-Villarreal match in the United States.
Real Madrid issued a statement expressing its deep concern about the concept of integrity and calling on the relevant authorities to stop holding the Barcelona-Villarreal match in Miami instead of the Estadio de la Cerámica, considering it threatens the concept of fairness in the league.
Tebas, known for his poor relationship with Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, responded by saying, “I am convinced that the match will be played in America. Barcelona and Villarreal have agreed to it. Nowhere in the world does such a debate arise. Villarreal president Fernando Roig made it clear: Either we innovate and do new things, or we become ineffective.”
He added, “Real Madrid registered a player with the number 30 shirt (Franco Mastrantuono), who will never play for the reserve team. Does this affect the integrity of the competition?”
He concluded, “La Liga cannot become a laughingstock in Europe while we see Italy and France playing matches abroad. Even the Spanish Super Cup is played abroad, and its format was previously modified. I believe the controversy surrounding this issue is much bigger than its actual size.”
It is worth noting that Tebas is currently facing a serious accusation of leaking information about Barcelona. If the High Sports Council proves his involvement, he could be removed from his position after 13 years at the helm of La Liga.
