Osasuna's match postponed, club furious with La Liga: 'This is not football'

The opening La Liga match between Celta Vigo and Osasuna, scheduled for Sunday in Vigo, has been postponed due to the severely degraded state of the Balaídos stadium's pitch. A fungal disease, exacerbated by recent high temperatures, has rendered the turf unsuitable for professional play, prompting La Liga to postpone the fixture at Celta's request.

Osasuna, whose team includes Croatian international striker Ante Budimir, has vehemently opposed the newly set date of August 27. The club argues that this date, which falls on a day reserved for teams whose players participated in the World Cup semifinals, unfairly disadvantages them. Osasuna believes the decision was made without adequate consultation with the involved clubs.

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This is not football, this is La Liga.

According to Osasuna, they and Celta had previously agreed on September 24 or 25, during an international break, as a more suitable alternative. La Liga and the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) were reportedly aware of this agreement. However, the league proceeded with the August 27 date, forcing Osasuna into a difficult schedule: playing Levante on Monday, August 24, and then traveling to Vigo just three days later.

The club from Pamplona also noted that their proposal to reschedule the Levante match earlier to allow for more rest was rejected. Osasuna issued a sharp statement criticizing the decision-making process: "There is no rule, criterion, or explanation that can justify that, despite the agreed date between the two clubs, a decision is made that specifically harms the club that was already harmed by the initial postponement." The statement concluded with a pointed remark: "This is not football, this is La Liga."

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There is no rule, criterion, or explanation that can justify that, despite the agreed date between the two clubs, a decision is made that specifically harms the club that was already harmed by the initial postponement.