Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone says there is “no sense” in playing La Liga matches this weekend after deadly floods hit eastern Madrid Spain. The Valencia region was hit by devastating flash floods that killed at least 211 people this week.
Two matches in the affected areas, Real Madrid’s trip to Valencia and Villarreal’s match against Rayo Vallecano, were postponed, but Simeone said all matches on matchday 12 should have been called off. “It is clear that this makes no sense, what is happening is something very difficult,” the Argentine technician told journalists before Atlético faced Las Palmas on Sunday at home. “There are people who are going through terrible times, it’s very sad, and we are in a place where we are told to carry on and we carry on,” he explained.
FC Barcelona coach Hansi Flick also suggested that all matches might have had to be canceled. “It is not easy to make a decision, we started (editor’s note: this championship day) here (editor’s note: Friday),” the German technician told the press before the Barcelona derby against Espanyol on Sunday. “For me it is a tragedy, we also experienced this in Germany three years ago, it is also horrible to see this. If we can support the region, we will of course, but for the rest, it is up to the League to decide,” he added.
Asked whether he would have postponed all of the weekend’s matches, Flick subsequently declared himself in favor of this solution. “It’s a tragedy for this region and for Spain, so maybe yes,” stressed the German coach.
Spanish Football League president Javier Teba has responded to criticism over the decision to play eight first division matches this weekend. “We think that in the terrible situation Spain is going through, the best message is not to stop, except in areas affected” by bad weather, he posted in a message on the X platform.
“The best message is to be on the front line in our workplaces, like workers in all other sectors, to give visibility (editor’s note: to the situation), to generate resources and to explain to the world that we must all be mobilized to move forward,” assured the boss of La Liga.
On Friday, Alavès beat Mallorca 1-0 and on Saturday, Osasuna also dominated Valladolid 1-0 before the other meeting of the afternoon between Girona and Leganés.
