Real Madrid has filed two formal complaints with Spain’s Consejo Superior de Deportes (CSD) in the wake of the cancelled domestic league match between Villarreal CF and FC Barcelona, which was due to take place in Miami on 20 December 2025. The club argues that moving the fixture abroad undermines competition integrity and was carried out without adequate consultation.
According to several Spanish outlets, Real Madrid’s first complaint was submitted earlier in the year, with a second dispatch sent just hours before the cancellation announcement. In their letters, the club asserts that hosting the game in the United States breaches the principle of territorial reciprocity—where every team retains the right to compete in its domestic environment—and grants unfair advantage.
The dispute was further amplified by public comments from players. Real Madrid’s right-back Dani Carvajal labelled the plan “a clear corruption of the competition”. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said the move “totally affects the integrity of the competition,” arguing the decision was made unilaterally and lacked consensus.
LaLiga and partner company Relevent Sports announced the cancellation of the Miami fixture following mounting pressure from clubs, players and institutions. The reason given was “uncertainty in Spain in recent weeks.”
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LaLiga had described the move as a “historic and unparalleled opportunity” for internationalising Spanish football, but acknowledged that the project could not proceed. Meanwhile, the CSD requested documentation from the Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF) after receiving Madrid’s complaints, signalling that the domestic governing body is actively investigating the legality of the overseas fixture.
The controversy marks a tense moment for Spanish football, pitting the commercial ambitions of LaLiga against concerns over sporting fairness and transparency. With formal protests lodged and governing bodies involved, the fallout could reshape how domestic matches abroad are considered in future.