The League continues its course in a week when all of Spain turns to Valence. While the authorized voices of the clubs demanded the suspension of the entire day due to DANA, the president of the employers’ association, Javier Tebas, justified his decision not to do so, citing a reason as surreal as the fact that football must “be on the front line”. Only matches played in the Valencian Community were postponed, not even those of teams from that region who were playing abroad, since Elche was forced to play their match at Eibar.
This decision by the League to suspend only compulsory matches – since the Generalitat prohibited the holding of any competition in the territory – outraged not only supporters, but also footballers and coaches. It was the latter who raised the cry, protesting against the decision not to suspend all matches. Simeone, Flick, Vicente Moreno, Luis Garcia Square either Eder Sarabia, the Elche coach, were the most striking.
What he had to go through was particularly hard. Dark. The coach of Osasuna is from Masanasa, one of the municipalities affected by the DANA, this is why he appeared very affected during the press conference preceding the championship match. He did not participate in the match, as he was suspended. At the end of the match in which his team dedicated the victory to him, we learned that he had gone to support and help his family.
Eder Sarabia also had a tail. The Elche coach complained, rightly, that they were the only team from the Valencian Community playing that day, and that was away. “It’s really a shame. It’s sad that we had to play“, underlined the coach of the Elche team.
Coaches call for suspension
Simeone either browse They also talked about it before playing their games. García Plaza also did so on Friday. “There is no way to take this match, for me. Please let us all turn for help. Let the politicians help them, then let everyone give them a hand. “I see people mobilizing and I am proud,” said the coach, who spent a good part of his sporting career and the start of his career on the bench of the Valencian Community.
But not all these voices were heard by Javier Tebas. The League limited itself to listening to the Valence, who first requested the postponement of the match against Real Madrid. Above all, because of the ban by the Generalitat Valenciana on contesting all competitions in the community. Then he was forced to also postpone the matches of Villarreal, Castellon, Levante And Eldense. Not the one from Elche, who played at Eibar.
And if he Elche – the one closest to it – has played, the rest the same. Even if the entire world of football is opposed to the League’s decision, the employers have not given in. At a time when Spain is looking elsewhere, this weekend there will be football, as if it were any other weekend.
The League is not stopping because of DANA
Tebas not only explained the reasons why he did not postpone the rest of the matches, but he also showed his chest by emphasizing that the League must be “on the front line” and that, therefore, we must play. A decision which was more than criticized and which led a large part of Spanish football to turn against it.
For the moment, the League has announced a collaboration with the Red Cross, leaving in a corner of the broadcasts the bizum number with which to collaborate, adding black crepe to the notice board for official mourning. Even if the action he should have taken, as the authoritative voices of football have demanded, should have been to stop the League for a day and focus all attention on what is really important, the victims of DANA which left more than 200 dead.
