Villarreal vs Barça in Miami: Joan Laporta responds to Frenkie de Jong | OneFootball

Joan Laporta

Just hours after Frenkie de Jong publicly criticized Barça's upcoming match in Miami, Joan Laporta stepped in. The Catalan president addressed his player's comments head-on.

Asked about the decision to play Villarreal vs FC Barcelona in Miami, Frenkie de Jong did not hesitate to publicly criticize the relocation of the fixture. This Thursday, after the EFC (European Football Clubs) congress in Rome, Joan Laporta issued his response. The Barça president was quick to remind the Dutch midfielder who is in charge.

"The match will take place. UEFA and LaLiga have approved it, and we will play wherever they tell us to play. If they say Miami, we will play in Miami. I respect him (de Jong), but the club will play where LaLiga tells us, and we are going to Miami. The reason we supported this idea is because, for us, it is an important market. During our summer tours, we secured a number of agreements that this match will allow us to deepen. And we have an office there, which we moved from New York to Miami, to promote the Barça brand," Laporta stated.