'Not much to work with': MD of LaLiga India Jose Cachaza lists major challenges in bringing top clubs to the country

It is a known fact that Spanish LaLiga has a massive fan base in India. Initially, the fandom rose rapidly for major clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid. But, over the last 5 years, since the inception of the league's investment on various fronts in the country, the awareness and popularity of other clubs have reached a wider audience. But one aspect of their engagement scheme is yet to be executed. And Jose Antonio Cachaza, Managing Director, LaLiga India, lists what that is.

The only known Spanish club to have come to India is Girona FC in 2018. Jose Cachaza, while speaking to the Hindustan Times during a virtual press call organized by LaLiga, revealed that they are planning on bringing a top club to India soon and talked about how the wretched virus foiled their plans.

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"We are working towards it. We are talking about names and places with relevant local promoters. We always organize these matches with local promoters.

"First Girona came. The next club coming in will be more relevant, meaning a club that plays European competitions more regularly. This will be a step towards bringing one of the big ones. This was the strategy but Covid-19 came and everything had to be put on hold. We are still on hold as it is impossible to plan in this situation. We cannot plan during the pre-season this year," elaborated Cachaza.

He further listed numerous challenges that they face while organizing such trips; one of the main reasons include the lack of a proper window.

"First, we have to organize in a way that it brings reasonable business to the local partners. Secondly, we have a narrow window. It has basically been reduced to the second half of July. We do not have much to work with.

"Other possibilities are FIFA (tournament) windows but this means the club will come with no international players. Post season isn't easy either. In July, because of the Indian summer, it's too hot to hold football matches. There are many constraints but we are working with incremental approach and we are working towards bringing a very top team," Cachaza concluded.

Cacazha, along with fellow LaLiga delegates, has been working actively towards increasing the reach of the popular European League since 2017. “The bid to increase accessibility for local fans has also led to numerous other success stories in these five years, including a 2000% increase in social audience, establishment of several grassroots development initiatives that have impacted more than 20,000 youth in the country, creation of strong relationships with local partners and strengthening ties with Indian fans,” reads an official release.

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