Judge blocks LaLiga’s effort to play Villarreal-Atlético Madrid game in the United States

In a ruling that will satisfy the Royal Spanish Football Federation and disappoint LaLiga chief Javier Tebas, a judge has blocked the league’s efforts to play December’s Atlético Madrid-Villarreal in Miami.

Essentially, the reasoning behind the move is that the federation do not want it played in the States. LaLiga’s complaint is identical to the one brought last year, when the proposal for a Barcelona-Girona game in Miami was rejected.

The unilateral decision to host the game outside of Spain needed approval from both the Spanish federation and UEFA, which it had not been given.

Moisés Guillamón listened to both parties — though Tebas from LaLiga and Luis Rubiales from the federation did not attend — and rejected the league’s request, as there need to be exceptional circumstances to change the location of a game.

“We express our maximum respect for the decision that does not pre-judge the matter, which will result in a final say next February, 2020,” a league statement read.