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La Liga 'light years' behind Premier League, complains Cazorla

AFP

9 February 2026 | 11:45

Oviedo's visit to Rayo's Vallecas Stadium on Saturday was called off hours before the game with La Liga explaining the conditions were not safe for the players because of the state of the recently-laid pitch.

Santi CAZORLA of Real Oviedo during the Spanish championship La Liga football match between Villarreal CF and Real Oviedo on 15 August 2025 at Estadio de la Ceramica in Vila-real, Spain. Picture: Matthieu Mirville (Omar Arnau)/ AFP.

BARCELONA, SPAIN - Real Oviedo midfielder Santi Cazorla complained Spain's La Liga is a long way behind the Premier League on Sunday, a day after his team's match at Rayo Vallecano was postponed at short notice.

Oviedo's visit to Rayo's Vallecas Stadium on Saturday was called off hours before the game with La Liga explaining the conditions were not safe for the players because of the state of the recently-laid pitch.

"The reality is La Liga is light years behind the Premier League in every sense," wrote former Arsenal playmaker Cazorla on social media.

Rayo players protested against their own club on Friday in a statement calling for improvements at Vallecas and better treatment of their fans.

On Sunday, Oviedo called on the Spanish football federation (RFEF) to declare them winners of the match, yet to be rescheduled, although the request is widely considered unlikely to be successful.