Players across La Liga have threatened to strike unless the Spanish FA revokes its decision to play an official match in the USA.
According to The Guardian, club captains met with the Association of Footballers of Spain (AFE) to discuss their displeasure at the move, calling it “the straw that broke the camel's back”.
The overseas game could happen as early as this season under La Liga’s 15-year deal to promote football in North America, in its bid to challenge the Premier League in the lucrative US television market.
The Premier League’s six-year deal with NBC is worth $1 billion, and La Liga hope to capitalise on North America’s huge Spanish-speaking population.
“This agreement that La Liga has reached without consulting anyone shows a lack of respect,” AFE President David Aganzo said.
“It’s not just the game as such, in terms of health and travel, it just makes no sense to have a game played in the United States and have one team have to give up a home game.
“It cannot be that a person takes a decision of a 15-year agreement, which affects many people and without consulting. We are fed up with not being valued.”
Aganzo said that a strike would be a “last option”, but is possible if their demands aren’t met.
“I have information that there are certain clubs that are in favour and others against this, but I represent the players,” he said.
“We need to sort this out with the union, and we will tell them all of our problems. If, from then on and after a few days, they don’t answer, then we will have to solve the situation. We are going to try to see that it doesn’t reach [a strike]. But we are willing to go right to the last option if it is necessary.”
Nick Pope is the Site Director of Esquire, overseeing digital strategy for the brand.
