Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has strongly criticized La Liga’s decision to move Barcelona’s upcoming match against Villarreal to Miami, calling it an act that “adulterates the competition.”
La Liga recently announced that the December fixture would be held in the United States — the first-ever official European league match to take place abroad.
“It’s totally adulterating the competition,” Courtois said during a press conference. “It’s easy to compare with the NFL or NBA, where teams play many games and decisions like this don’t affect fairness. But here, it’s completely different — they just decided to do it, and it distorts the league.”
The Belgian goalkeeper argued that Barcelona would gain an unfair advantage by facing Villarreal on neutral ground instead of playing an away game. “Villarreal away is always a tough match. Everyone should play home and away — except for cases of force majeure,” he added.
The Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE) staged brief protests last weekend against the relocation, with players standing still for 15 seconds at the start of each match. However, not all of these moments were shown on television. Courtois condemned this omission, saying, “Hiding it is censorship and manipulation, and that’s not right.”
Real Madrid have formally expressed their opposition to the Miami move, and reports suggest the club has filed a complaint with the Spanish government.
Head coach Xabi Alonso also voiced disapproval, saying, “My opinion is clear — the club is defending its interests, and we’ll see how it unfolds.”
Courtois, who turns 33 this year, is set to make his 300th appearance for Real Madrid on Wednesday when they host Juventus in the Champions League. “I’m very proud to reach that milestone,” he said. “As a kid, you dream of playing for Real Madrid — and tomorrow will be my 300th game.”
