David AganzoTwitter
La Liga President Javier Tebas and Spanish Footballers' Association (AFE) President David Aganzo met on Thursday for an hour-and-a-half to discuss the possible Girona-Barcelona game in Miami, according to Ruby Arés of AS. Aganzo said, "We believe that the information they have given us is not enough and they agreed to give us more information in 12 hours. As of now, with the information we have, the players cannot go to the United States. They need to be informed of information regarding the economic and health aspects, the timing of the practices. ... We want a real report with everything that will happen to share with our teammates." He added, "I do not believe that making decisions unilaterally is acceptable. They have apologized, but it is not a matter of apologizing, but of doing things. I do not agree with the amount of participation the players have had." While Tebas said that there is a 90% chance the game will be played in Miami, Aganzo said, "Girona-Barcelona has a 20 percent chance of being played in Miami. The footballers are the principal actors in this sport" (AS, 9/20).
NOT ON BOARD: AS reported the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) will on Friday choose not to give its approval for La Liga to hold the Girona-Barcelona match in the U.S. The RFEF "is expected to do so via a letter signed by RFEF President Luis Rubiales and addressed to Tebas." According to Spanish radio station COPE, "a second letter signed by Rubiales will be sent to FIFA explaining why the RFEF will not approve of the game." A third letter, "signed by RFEF Secretary General Andreu Camps, will be sent to UEFA" to inform of the RFEF's "no" (AS, 9/21).
'JUST THE OPPOSITE': ESPN.com's Adriana Garcia reported Tebas fears Major League Soccer may view plans to stage a regular-season game in the U.S. "as a threat." Tebas said, "What worries me is that [MLS Commissioner Don] Garber thinks that it is an attack against the MLS to come [to North America], which it is not. I insist it is just the opposite." Tebas believes holding the game in the U.S. "will benefit many, including MLS." He said, "It's much more than the concept of bringing a football match to the United States. We are [considering] an agreement to establish academies in the United States, to look for sponsors, to work so that football also grows in the United States. We believe that if football grows [in the United States], a part of us will be able to benefit, just as MLS and other competitions can benefit. Therefore, it would be a broad agreement" (ESPN.com, 9/20).
