Thibaut Courtois Says La Liga Plan For Match In Miami ‘distorts The Competition’

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has launched a scathing onslaught connected La Liga, criticising nan league’s determination to shape Barcelona’s distant lucifer against Villarreal successful Miami connected 20 December, saying it “distorts nan competition”.

The fixture, which is group to return spot astatine nan Hard Rock Stadium, would beryllium nan first La Liga fixture held extracurricular Spain and nan first European convention lucifer staged abroad. While Uefa has “reluctantly” approved nan plan, Real Madrid and different teams successful Spain’s apical formation person expressed their opposition.

Speaking connected Tuesday earlier Real’s Champions League fixture against Juventus, Courtois accused La Liga of bypassing clubs successful nan decision-making process and based on that nan move undermines nan principles of fairness successful nan home-and-away convention format. “La Liga does immoderate it wants because it suits them,” said nan Belgian. “This determination distorts nan competition. Playing astatine location is not nan aforesaid arsenic playing away. In La Liga, playing distant is very difficult, arsenic we saw against Real Sociedad and Getafe. Villarreal distant is tough. It’s not adjacent to alteration nan rules mid-season without consulting us.”

Courtois besides contrasted La Liga’s plans pinch nan NBA and NFL, who regularly play matches abroad. “The NBA has 82 games, and nan NFL’s owners collectively o.k. these decisions. Here, La Liga acts unilaterally. It’s not nan same,” he said.

La Liga players staged silent protests astatine nan play by opinionated motionless astatine kick-offs crossed each matches, symbolising their discontent pinch nan decision. La Liga’s broadcasts ignored nan protests successful respective games, showing a wide, aerial changeable of nan stadiums accompanied by a banner that publication “Commitment to peace”.

“Hiding nan protests and trying to alteration nan communicative is censorship and manipulation,” Courtois said. “I’m not surprised. [La Liga president, Javier Tebas] behaves for illustration nary different sports executive I’ve ever seen. His actions connected societal media and successful nationalist speak volumes.”

Real Madrid person revenge 2 complaints pinch Spain’s sports ministry, arguing nan moving a home crippled overseas undermines La Liga’s competitory integrity. The Atlético Madrid manager, Diego Simeone, has besides weighed successful connected nan controversy, expressing his scepticism complete nan Miami fixture. “I won’t judge it until I spot it,” he said. “The location squad loses nan advantage. Their fans won’t beryllium there, and they person to recreation thousands of miles. We request to respect nan fans.”

La Liga has many times defended its scheme to shape matches abroad, stating that nan connection “does not distort title aliases break immoderate authorities of players, clubs aliases fans.”