LaLiga confirms proposal for Girona to play Barcelona in Miami

LaLiga has submitted a proposal for Barcelona to play Girona in Miami, with the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to make a final ruling.

The Hard Rock Stadium has been selected as the venue for the first LaLiga match to be played in the United States as part of a deal with Relevant, the company behind the International Champions Cup, which has seen pre-season matches take place in Miami.

After an agreement was reached with Girona and Barcelona over moving their matchday 21 fixture scheduled for January 26 away from Estadi Motilivi, approval from the RFEF has now been sought.

“The request, signed by Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu, Girona president Delfi Geli and LaLiga president Javier Tebas, was submitted to the RFEF late Monday,” a statement from LaLiga said.

“The submission has been made after successfully completing the first key steps with several stakeholders.

“One of the elements of the request is the compensation offered to Girona season ticket holders, who have this fixture included in their season ticket. Aficiones Unidas (AFEPE), an association of fan clubs, has welcomed this compensation package.”

.@FCBarcelona, @GironaFC & #LaLiga seek permission from the RFEF to stage match in the US.

— LaLiga (@LaLigaEN) September 11, 2018

The staging of a LaLiga match in the US as part of a 15-year partnership with Relevant has been met with fierce opposition, with RFEF president Luis Rubiales hitting out at Tebas.

“It’s a total lack of respect and it’s incomprehensible from a president who demands a lot from others in terms of behaviour, but whose own behaviour, frankly, leaves a lot to be desired,” Rubiales previously told The Daily Mail.

“I have not seen the contract, so I can’t say much, but I will say that FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, wants to protect the domestic competitions in each country and taking league games somewhere else is to invade that country.”

Barca midfielder Sergio Busquets has also spoken out against the proposal, with the vice-president of the Association of Spanish Footballers (AFE) saying players were united in their opposition.

AFE president David Aganzo said LaLiga players were “outraged, very surprised, and are all against it” and indicated the body had not been consulted over the Relevant proposals.