Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso on Saturday publicly aligned himself with the protest movement initiated by players in Spain’s top flight, La Liga, opposing the league’s controversial decision to relocate a regular-season fixture to the United States.
The match in question, between Barcelona and Villarreal, is scheduled for December 20 at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, a move that has stirred intense debate over sporting integrity, player welfare and transparency in Spanish football.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of Real Madrid’s visit to Getafe, Alonso made his position clear: “My opinion is the same as when you asked me two months ago. We are against the match because we feel that it alters the competition. There has been no unanimous decision among the participants about taking a game to a neutral ground. There wasn’t even a consultation. The protests are positive because that’s how many clubs are feeling. We object to that decision being made unilaterally.”
Alonso’s remarks mirror the formal stance of the Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE), which this weekend is leading symbolic protests: players from clubs such as Real Oviedo and Espanyol remained motionless for the first 15 seconds of their match to express their disquiet.
The league’s plan, first announced last week, envisages moving the December fixture abroad.
Alonso emphasised that his objection stems from concerns over fairness and competitive balance. “We are against the match; we believe it distorts the competition,” he said.
He added that if such an idea were to proceed, it should only be done with unanimous agreement among the clubs and proper consultation with players — conditions he reiterated have not been met.
The broader context of the dispute is that La Liga, led by president Javier Tebas, argues the U.S. fixture is part of a strategic plan to globalise the Spanish competition, open new commercial and broadcasting markets and increase revenue. But players and their union say they were not properly consulted and that the move undermines the foundations of the competition — home advantage, travel burdens, scheduling, and player welfare.
For his part, Alonso also confirmed that Real Madrid, while focusing on their match at Getafe, would support the gesture. He stated: “The protests are positive because they show how many clubs feel. We are against this decision being taken unilaterally. If there is a unanimous consensus and all parties feel like it can happen, then that’s fine, but it’s not the case.”
He stopped short of calling for a strike or stronger industrial-action, saying the decisions “to prevent this from happening are probably down to other people” albeit reaffirming Real Madrid’s stance remains unchanged.
The timing of Alonso’s remarks is significant. Real Madrid themselves are historically opposed to the move: the club had previously raised concerns in August that shifting a fixture abroad could distort competitive fairness.
Moreover, the player protests this weekend are designed to be symbolic rather than disruptive — a series of moments of silence or stops at the beginning of matches to draw attention to the issue while avoiding full boycotts.
Beyond the Miami controversy, in his press conference Alonso touched on other subjects regarding Real Madrid’s readiness for the forthcoming match.
He reported that players who had returned from national team duty — except Dean Huijsen — were in good condition and able to train, reaffirming his focus on discipline and the daily routines within the squad.
He praised young Raúl Asencio for his performances, welcomed Ferland Mendy’s return from injury, and set out his expectations for Kylian Mbappé.