Real Madrid president Florentino Perez rejects La Liga's plan to play games in USA
Sunday 23 September 2018 20:57, UK
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has rejected La Liga's plan to play one fixture per season in the United States.
La Liga's desire to become the first European soccer league to play regular-season games on a different continent hit a wall on Friday when the Spanish soccer federation said it could not authorise the proposal to stage Girona's match against Barcelona on January 26 in Miami until it received more information.
The Stateside switch to Miami requires approval of the Spanish federation and the United States soccer federation along with the acknowledgement of both regional bodies UEFA and CONCACAF.
Perez voiced his objections to the proposal on Sunday, stating that the overseas fixture would not benefit clubs or their supporters.
"We won't go to the United States. I don't know whose interest it is in to play there but it is not in the interests of the clubs or the supporters, so we outright reject it," Perez told a general meeting of club members.
After being initially outlined the proposal stated teams would play one match per season in the States, for the next 15 years, which was signed in agreement with US entertainment company Relevant.
Madrid manager Julen Lopetegui had also recently expressed his concern over Barcelona's potential game abroad, and commented that "every team should play at every (La Liga) ground".
La Liga, however, are still confident an agreement can be reached, with president Javier Tebas saying on Friday: "The game (in Miami) is still alive, without a doubt."
