Spanish football has been rocked by a wave of protests, with players refusing to move for the first 15 seconds of La Liga matches. The demonstrations are a response to the Spanish league's decision to stage a game in Miami, which has sparked widespread discontent among players and fans alike.
The protests took place across several high-profile fixtures on Saturday, including games involving Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. These teams had home games against Girona and Osasuna respectively, following the precedent set by Oviedo and Espanyol on Friday evening. Identical protests were also seen at Sevilla v Mallorca and Villarreal v Real Betis.
In an attempt to downplay the protest during Barcelona's game, television cameras cut away from the field to show exterior shots of the stadium. However, other broadcasts focused closely on the centre circle where players from both teams stood still as part of their demonstration.
Root cause
The controversy began in August when Spain's football federation (RFEF) approved plans to move Villarreal's fixture against Barcelona overseas - specifically, Hard Rock Stadium in Miami - scheduled for December 20th. This decision was met with significant backlash within Spain.
The Spanish Footballers' Association (AFE) released a statement saying they had coordinated with each La Liga club captain to "protest symbolically" against what they perceive as La Liga’s "lack of transparency, dialogue and coherence". They did not ask Barcelona or Villarreal players directly but these teams chose independently to participate anyway.
La Liga responded by challenging accusations made by AFE this week. They expressed their "willingness" for dialogue that would allow them an opportunity explain their project further. Despite this offer from La Liga, the AFE announced that demonstrations would continue at all remaining La Liga games over the weekend. Xabi Alonso, whose side played at Getafe on Sunday, voiced his support for the protests.
Real Madrid manager, Xabi Alonso, said:
"We are against the [Miami] match. We believe it distorts the competition. There hasn't been unanimity or consultation for it to be played on neutral ground. The protests are positive and that sentiment is positive.
"We believe it could happen if there were unanimity, but that's not the case."
Players' demands
The AFE stated they were rejecting "a project that does not have the approval of the main players in our sport". They criticized La Liga's "constant refusals and unrealistic proposals", calling for a "negotiating table" where all information about this controversial project could be shared and analysed.
They also demanded that their concerns be addressed and assurances given regarding protection of their labour rights and compliance with current regulations.
As these protests continue to unfold across Spain's football landscape, it remains to be seen how this standoff between La Liga officials and players will resolve itself. For now, fans can expect more symbolic 15-second standstills as players make their voices heard on this contentious issue.
