The Spanish top flight football’s governing body revealed that they had to come up with the give order of business to La Liga clubs.
LFP announced the schedule for matches in the first rounds of La Liga, with less than two weeks remaining until the start of 2012/13 campaign. The chart put forward by the governing body has irked several members who have not shied away from revealing their sentiments.
With stern criticism coming at them from all sporting corners, Liga de Futbol Professional (LFP) announced their reasoning behind their actions to quell the onslaught of verbal assaults.
LFP announced on their official website that they came upon the much talked about awkward kick-off times after coming to the conclusion of their talks with the players union, AFE. It clarified that AFE had asked them not to start the season before August 18 so the start coincides with the rest of top leagues.
Continuing with the explanation, it read that AFE also asked them not to play before 19 00 Central European Time to avoid playing in the scorching heats of the summer, citing that LFP’s hand has been forced in the matter.
"The kick-off times were conditioned by an agreement between the LFP and the AFE (the players' union) that the Spanish league season should start on the same weekend as the rest of the leagues in Europe, on August 18."
"The players need to be protected from the high temperatures of mid August and so the AFE asked us to make sure that no games started before 19:00CET.”
"Therefore, we have had to schedule games at unusual times in August. Kick-off times will return to the usual times as of the third weekend of the season.”
"The LFP does its best to combine the interests of everyone associated with professional football in order to gain the best outcome for everyone in the midst of our current economic situation by organising the fixtures in the least harmful way possible.”
"We also want to publish kick-off times as far in advance as possible for the benefit of fans who want to follow their teams."
La Liga kicks off in earnest from August 18.
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