Oviedo and Espanyol players stood motionless for the first 15 seconds of their Friday match in a league-wide protest against La Liga’s controversial decision to host the Villarreal vs. Barcelona fixture in Miami this December.
The Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE) coordinated the symbolic act, citing the league’s “lack of transparency, dialogue and coherence” in moving the game to the Hard Rock Stadium.
Replica protests are set to continue at all remaining La Liga games this weekend.
The decision has met with resistance from high-profile figures, including Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso, who said the teams are “against the [Miami] match” and believe it “distorts the competition.” Barcelona coach Hansi Flick also expressed his team’s unhappiness with the forced fixture move.
The AFE is demanding a negotiating table with the league to protect players’ labor rights and address concerns, while La Liga has stated its “willingness to meet” to explain the project.
