Barcelona – Atlético de Madrid: La Liga match rumored to be coming to the United States
La Liga wants FC Barcelona to face Atlético de Madrid in the United States, in what would be both team’s first official La Liga game outside Spain.
The game would be played in Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, which typically holds NFL gridiron football games, but has been used to play association football games – notably the last Copa América final.
It would take place between the 20th and the 22nd of December this year, and it would be played within the 18th matchday.
Both teams would be helped financially by the match. For Barcelona, it would mean one less game at Montjuïc, where gate receipts would be lower. For Atlético, it would help subsidize the heavy spending they have engaged in over the summer transfer window.
Still, this is not a done deal. Far from it, in fact. La Liga still needs approval from the Spanish federation as well as the players’ association. However, the league is putting a lot of effort into the pitch, and they are hopeful that all will be approved in time for the match.
What remains to be seen is how local fans will react to losing the right to host such an important national league match to a foreign country.
