Tebas Says La Liga Remains Determined To Play Matches In U.S.

Javier Tebas said that playing in the U.S. is "vital" to La Liga's strategy in the country.GETTY IMAGES

La Liga President Javier Tebas said that the league "remains committed" to playing Barcelona's match with Girona in Miami, "despite opposition to the plans," according to Richard Martin of REUTERS. The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) "put the brakes on the league's plans" by demanding more information on January's game. Tebas said, "Playing in the United States is vital to our strategy there and we won't relent on what is our right. If you want to make your industry more global, as La Liga wants to, if you want to be among the biggest industries in world sport, then you have to be immersed in the U.S. market." Tebas added, "It's not easy to take a game out of its usual competition and we knew we would meet a cultural wall of European and Spanish institutions, but we began this process two years ago and we're going to keep working to make it happen" (REUTERS, 10/2).