LALIGA
Bartomeu suggests three LaLiga games should be played overseas
The FC Barcelona was disappointed that the Miami Girona-Barça game failed to materialise and suggested playing three LaLiga games abroad per season.
LaLiga have not given up on Javier Tebas' ambition of playing a domestic Primera division game overseas with FC Barcelona president supporting the initiative in an interview with the BBC. The proposal to play the Girona vs. Barcelona match-day 21 game was rejected by the RFEF (Spanish FA) and FIFA and was also rebuffed by many supporters in Spain.
"If we want La Liga to be strong, we are to play in these games," Josep Maria Bartomeu told BBC Sport.
"At Barca we have sometimes been talking to La Liga and have been telling them that if you want to promote La Liga more and more, then we should have three games of the year outside - one in America, one in the Middle East and one in Asia.
"We have to go and be closer to the fans. We do the summer tours in July and August to go closer to the fans. It's us showing respect to them, going to Miami would have been respect to our fans in the USA."
Chief Communications Officer for LaLiga, Joris Evers added, "We continue to work towards playing a La Liga match outside of Spain and want to do that as soon as possible. We are working with all stakeholders to make it happen.
"We see this as a logical next step in the growth of our league and as a clear benefit to everyone involved".
