Real Madrid wrote to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) "outlining its opposition" to La Liga’s plans to stage a match between Girona and Barcelona in Miami, "delivering another blow" to the league's "hopes of playing one game a season" in the U.S., according to Richard Martin of REUTERS. An RFEF spokesperson confirmed that the organization received the letter, "which was widely quoted by local media on Wednesday." Real Madrid said in the letter, signed by Dir General José Ángel Sánchez, "First of all, we would like to declare that Real Madrid was never informed that La Liga had requested to play the game nor of the intention to make the request, and we were never asked our opinion on it. Nor, obviously, did La Liga obtain Real Madrid’s agreement, despite the fact that this game affects a competition in which we participate." A spokesperson for La Liga reiterated that "no club would be forced to play" in the U.S. and that it was "entirely voluntary." Real Madrid's letter added, "We cannot forget that the national league is a competition in which 20 teams participate, not two, and that it is fundamental that every team plays each other twice, home and away and at each stadium, as that guarantees the integrity and the equality of the competition." La Liga President Javier Tebas said earlier in October, "Teams have also played at other stadiums while their grounds are being renovated or in order to generate more revenue. If we really believe in this sporting puritanism, then we would need to make many changes in football" (REUTERS, 10/17).
NOT BACKING DOWN: FOOTBALL ESPANA reported Tebas is "preparing a legal case" to force La Liga matches to be played in the U.S. Cadena Cope reported Tebas "will take his argument to a court of law in an attempt to force through the event." Girona and Barcelona "have both given their approvals to the plans, but the game cannot take place without the green light" from FIFA, the RFEF and the Spanish Footballers' Association (AFE), among others (FOOTBALL ESPANA, 10/17).
