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Courtois slams La Liga's plans for Miami game
The Straits Times
|October 22, 2025
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has launched a scathing attack on La Liga and its president Javier Tebas, criticising the decision to stage Barcelona’s away match with Villarreal in Miami on Dec 20, saying it “distorts the competition”.
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Thibaut Courtois says La Liga's decision to play the Villarreal v Barcelona match in Miami distorts the competition, adding that its president Javier Tebas "behaves like no other sports executive I've ever seen". PHOTO: REUTERS
(REUTERS)
The game, set to take place at the Hard Rock Stadium, would be the first La Liga fixture held outside Spain and the first European league match staged abroad.
While European governing body Uefa reluctantly approved the plan, Real and other La Liga players have expressed their opposition, with Courtois leading the charge.
Speaking at a press conference on Oct 21 on the eve of Real’s Champions League clash with visiting Juventus, the Belgian international accused La Liga of bypassing clubs in the decision-making process.
This story is from the October 22, 2025 edition of The Straits Times.
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