Barcelona, Villarreal captains to meet the Spanish Footballers’ Association to discuss match in Miami | OneFootball

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE) will soon meet with Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Dani Parejo, the captains of Barcelona and Villarreal, to gather their opinions on the potential league match being held in the United States.

The plan, which has gained significant traction, proposes that the La Liga clash between Villarreal and Barcelona be staged in Miami on December 20th, a move that would make history for Spanish football.

UEFA recently gave the green light for the match to take place, marking an almost final step in the process.

Reluctance from AFE

While the prospect of seeing Barcelona play in Miami excites international fans, not everyone within Spanish football is convinced. The AFE remains cautious, organising a fresh meeting after UEFA’s authorisation.

When a similar discussion took place back in August, most player representatives were firmly against the idea, largely due to scheduling conflicts and unclear logistical details.

During those previous talks, players pointed out potential clashes with the La Liga-AFE agreement.

Article 8 of that agreement clearly limits travel and training hours before a match – “36 hours for a home game and 72 hours for an away game” – which would directly affect both Villarreal and Barcelona’s preparation time.

Barcelona could play Villarreal in the USA. (Photo by Judit Cartiel/Getty Images)

In addition, Article 9 ensures every player receives at least “one and a half days of rest per week, including one continuous day from midnight.”

The AFE fears that travelling to the US in the middle of a busy fixture list could disrupt this mandatory rest period.

There are more concerns

Beyond scheduling, other concerns include injury insurance coverage and fair compensation.

Players reportedly believe that if clubs are set to profit from the match being hosted abroad, they too deserve to benefit through bonuses or participation incentives.

The AFE has also expressed frustration with UEFA for excluding them from earlier discussions, despite having requested to be part of the talks for transparency.

Still, with Barcelona’s global brand power and immense fanbase in North America, this match could significantly elevate La Liga’s reach.