Barcelona shelve plans to play LaLiga fixture in Miami

Pressure from the players' association seems to have worked

FC Barcelona have scrapped plans to play a LaLiga game against Girona in Miami in January 2019 due to a lack of consensus. LaLiga had planned to stage an official league fixture between the two Catalan sides in Florida, but the subsequent fallout between the players and the league has led to Barça shelving plans to hold the fixture abroad. In a statement, Barça said: “Barcelona’s disposition to playing in Miami is no longer in effect. FC Barcelona was and is willing to move to Miami to play a league game, and accepted that the benefits were shared out between all the clubs of the first and second division, following the same criterion of distribution as in the television rights." "But it considers that until an agreement is reached between all the agents involved, this project will not be able to prosper.” Immediately after plans were revealed, the Spanish Footballers' Association (AFE) opposed LaLiga and stood firm, with players threatening to go on strike. Players representing all 20 clubs met and decided to take a stand against the decision, which was controversial for may reasons: the match in question is a local derby, in which Girona's home advantage would be hugely important; fans who had bought season tickets would have to travel half way across the world to attend the match; and the game is wedged between the first and second leg of the Copa Del Rey semi-finals.