Courtois Condemns Barcelona’s Miami Match Move as Unfair to La Liga
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has strongly criticized La Liga’s decision to move Barcelona’s upcoming league match against Villarreal to Miami, describing the move as “adulterating the competition.”
La Liga recently announced that the December fixture would be played in the United States, marking the first time a European league match will take place abroad. However, Courtois expressed his disapproval during a press conference, arguing that the decision gives Barcelona an unfair advantage.
“It’s totally adulterating the competition,” Courtois said. “It’s easy to compare this with the NFL or NBA, but they play many games a season. In football, each match matters and affects the standings. This decision changes the fairness of the league.”
The Belgian goalkeeper insisted that Barcelona would benefit by not having to face Villarreal on their home ground. “Playing Villarreal away is tough. Every team deserves to play one home and one away game—except in cases of force majeure,” he said.
In protest against the decision, the Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE) organized symbolic demonstrations last weekend. Players across La Liga paused for 15 seconds at the start of matches to show their disapproval of the move. However, Courtois criticized television broadcasters for not airing all the protests, calling it “censorship and manipulation.”
“Hiding it is censorship. It’s manipulation, and that’s not right,” he stated firmly.
Real Madrid has publicly opposed the plan and has reportedly filed a complaint with the Spanish government. Manager Xabi Alonso also voiced his discontent, stating, “My opinion is clear. The club is defending its interests, and we’ll see how this unfolds.”
Meanwhile, Courtois is preparing to mark a personal milestone as he makes his 300th appearance for Real Madrid when they face Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday. “I’m proud to reach 300 appearances. As a kid, I dreamed of playing just once for Real Madrid, and now I’ve done it 300 times,” said the 33-year-old goalkeeper.
