Real Madrid has opposed the proposed Barcelona vs Villarreal match scheduled to take place in Miami.

Real Madrid have formally urged FIFA to prevent December’s La Liga fixture between Barcelona and Villarreal from being relocated to Miami, Florida. The dramatic escalation comes after Spain’s Football Federation (RFEF) approved La Liga’s controversial proposal on Monday to move Villarreal’s home match to Hard Rock Stadium.

The official statement reads: Real Madrid wishes to express to its members, supporters, and football fans in general its firm rejection of the proposal to play the Matchday 17 first-division league game between Villarreal CF and FC Barcelona outside of Spain. The measure, implemented without prior information or consultation with the clubs participating in the competition, violates the essential principle of territorial reciprocity which governs double-round league competitions (one match at home and the other at the opposing team’s home), altering the competitive balance and giving an undue sporting advantage to the clubs which made the request. The integrity of the competition demands that all matches be held under the same conditions for all teams. Unilaterally modifying this regime violates equality between contenders, compromises the legitimacy of the results, and sets an unacceptable precedent which opens the door to exceptions based on interests other than strictly sporting ones, clearly affecting sporting integrity and risking the competition’s adulteration. If this proposal is implemented, its consequences would be so serious that they would mark a turning point in the football world. Any modification of this kind must, in any case, have the express and unanimous agreement of all clubs participating in the competition.