Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso backed player protests over LaLiga playing a regular-season game in Miami on Saturday, describing the move as “positive.”
Barcelona’s game at Villarreal is set to be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida on Dec. 20, with tickets due to go on sale next week.
On Friday, in the first LaLiga game of the weekend — Real Oviedo vs. Espanyol — the two teams paused for the first 15 seconds, in a protest that players’ union AFE said was aimed at the league’s “lack of transparency, dialogue and coherence” in staging the Miami game.
The global television feed of the match did not show the protest, with an exterior shot of the stadium being displayed instead.
“We’re against the [Miami] game, because we believe it influences the competition,” Alonso said in a news conference on Saturday. “There isn’t unanimity among all the participating clubs [in the league]. We haven’t been consulted.
“The protests are positive, because it’s the feeling of many clubs. [The Miami game] has been done unilaterally, and that’s what we’re against. If there’s unanimity, it can happen, but that isn’t the case.”
Xabi Alonso has come out against the proposed LaLiga match between Barcelona and Villarreal in Miami. Dennis Agyeman / AFP7 via Getty Images
In Saturday’s early game, Sevilla vs. Mallorca, the players’ protest was briefly shown on screen after kick-off, before cameras cut to the Sevilla bench.
In a statement on Friday, AFE said captains of the 20 top-flight LaLiga teams were in favour of the protest — which would take place at the start of all this weekend’s games — although the union said Barcelona and Villarreal players had not been asked to take part.
Alonso refused to say whether he would support further action from players, including a possible strike. “My answer is the same, and our position is the same,” he said. “The decisions that need to be taken will probably be taken by others.”
Madrid visit Getafe on Sunday, and began the weekend two points clear of rivals Barcelona, who host Girona on Saturday.
Alonso dismissed injury concerns around Kylian Mbappé, who returned to Madrid early from international duty this week with an ankle knock.
“His ankle is fine,” Alonso said. “He’s in the squad, and could start.”
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Alonso also said a possible departure for Endrick in January — after ESPN reported this week that a number of clubs including Marseille had taken an interest in the forward — was “not on my mind,” and said midfielder Jude Bellingham was now “better prepared” on his return to fitness.
“Jude has been training and preparing, since he recovered from shoulder surgery [in July],” Alonso said. “He’s better. We need the best Jude. He’s eager to feel good and play well and help the team.”
