Barcelona president Joan Laporta was left red-faced as hours after he defended the club’s La Liga match against Villareal in Miami, USA, the game was cancelled by the league body due to protests in Spain.

"Relevent has informed La Liga that the match between Villarreal and Barcelona, scheduled for December 20 in Miami, needs to be postponed," the statement read. "Due to ongoing uncertainty in Spain, there isn't enough time to organise the event well. It would also not be responsible to start selling tickets without full confirmation of the match."