The Spanish football community has reignited debates following the cancellation of the match between Villarreal and Barcelona, which was supposed to take place in the United States. Journalist Roberto Gómez harshly criticized Joan Laporta, expressing dissatisfaction with how the Catalan club’s management handled the situation.
According to Gómez, the president of Barcelona knew in advance the match would not happen, but failed to communicate this in a timely manner. He stressed that Villarreal was put at a disadvantage, as the club did not receive the necessary information, and the whole process lacked transparency.
Gómez recalled a recent interview with Fernando Roig Jr., one of the Villarreal executives. Roig expressed surprise at the turn of events and noted that the club was not informed about Barcelona’s actual plans. The journalist emphasized that Laporta’s failure to provide advance warning was the most serious issue in this story.
In addition, Gómez drew attention to the role of LaLiga and its president Javier Tebas. He expressed regret that few people are discussing the actions of Luis Lousan, who authorized the match and thereby contributed to the complicated situation. The journalist pointed out that Villarreal fans were unaware of ticket issues and believed everything had already been resolved, when in fact the situation remained highly confusing.
In addition to discussing the scandal, Gómez also touched on other topics related to Spanish football. He singled out Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois as a key figure on the team, ranking him even above stars like Kylian Mbappé. According to the journalist, the team’s constant reliance on their goalkeeper indicates underlying issues in the squad, since if the best player is the keeper, it points to a lack of effectiveness from the rest of the players.
In conclusion, Gómez noted that the upcoming match against Barcelona will be an important test for Xabi Alonso and will show whether Real Madrid is ready to compete at the highest level.
