barcelona win behind closed doors amid catalonia clashes
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

On the day of the highly-charged Catalonia referendum

Barcelona win behind closed doors amid Catalonia clashes

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Barcelona win behind closed doors amid Catalonia clashes

Barcelona's forward Lionel Messi (L) challenges Las Palmas' midfielder Ximo Navarro and defender Michel
Barcelona - Arab Today

Lionel Messi scored twice as Barcelona beat Las Palmas 3-0 in a match played behind closed doors after the Spanish league refused to postpone the game on the day of the highly-charged Catalonia referendum.

At least 91 people were injured as Spanish riot police fired rubber bullets and forced their way into activist-held polling stations over the independence vote deemed illegal by the Spanish government on Sunday.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu said the club made the decision to play behind closed doors at the 99,000-capacity Camp Nou as a protest against the violent clashes rather than security concerns.

"FC Barcelona condemns the events which have taken place in many parts of Catalonia today in order to prevent its citizens exercising their democratic right to free expression," Barcelona said in a statement.

"We have done it behind closed doors so that everyone can see our opposition at what is happening," added Bartomeu.

In a statement, La Liga insisted "there was no motive for the game to be abandoned".

Had Barca refused to play the game they could have faced a three-point deduction from La Liga on top of forfeiting the match against Las Palmas.

"La Liga's refusal to cancel the game and play it another day... would mean the loss of six points for the team," said Bartomeu.

Outspoken Barca defender Gerard Pique was in tears at the end of the match.

"It was the worst professional experience I have had in my life," he told reporters.

A section of Barcelona fans' groups had threatened a peaceful pitch invasion to show their disgust at events at the polling stations if the game was not suspended.

"It was strange, I didn't like it at all," Barca midfielder Sergio Busquets, a Catalan and World Cup winner with Spain, told BeIN Sports Spain.

"We were aware of what had happened. I think the club evaluated the possibility (of not playing) but on a sporting level that penalised us a lot."

Indeed, despite the closure of the stadium, one fan did make it onto the pitch after Barca's second goal before being quickly hauled off by stewards.

Huge queues of fans waited outside the 99,000 capacity Camp Nou for hours until a final decision was made less than 30 minutes before kick-off.

A Barca spokesperson confirmed that all fans who bought tickets would be reimbursed.

- Messi unmoved -

The match itself was an understandably low key affair as Barca opened up a five-point lead at the top of La Liga and moved 10 points clear of Real Madrid, who host Espanyol later on Sunday.

Barca's players entered the field wearing a training top in the colours of the Catalan Senyera flag over their traditional blue and red home kit.

Meanwhile, Las Palmas wore a small Spanish flag on their shirts as a show of support for a united Spain.

However, all the off-field distractions seemed to affect the hosts in the first-half as Jonathan Calleri came closest to opening the scoring when he hit the post for Las Palmas.

Busquets settled Barca early in the second-half by heading home the opener from Messi's corner.

Messi then took over himself as he calmly rounded Leandro Chichizola from Denis Suarez's excellent pass to make it 2-0.

And the five-time World Player of the Year then smashed home Luis Suarez's through ball for already his 14th goal of the season.

- Pique votes -

Barca have long supported Catalonia's right for a vote on independence, without throwing their weight behind the yes or no camp.

Last week the club released a strongly-worded statement condemning arrests of regional Catalan government figures in "the defence of the nation, to democracy, to freedom of speech, and to self-determination".

According to Spanish media reports, Barca vice-president Carles Vilarrubi has resigned over the club's decision to play the game.

Pique posted a picture of him casting his vote early on Sunday.

"I have voted. Together we are unstoppable defending democracy," said Pique.

Legendary Barca midfielder Xavi Hernandez, who currently plays for Qatari side Al Sadd, also posted a video on social media describing the events as "shameful".

"It is unacceptable that in a democratic country people cannot vote," added Xavi.

And former Barca captain Carles Puyol added his support for the referendum by posting "To vote is democracy!" on his Twitter account.

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

barcelona win behind closed doors amid catalonia clashes barcelona win behind closed doors amid catalonia clashes

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

barcelona win behind closed doors amid catalonia clashes barcelona win behind closed doors amid catalonia clashes

 



GMT 09:16 2017 Wednesday ,13 December

Cape wearing tips

GMT 20:49 2017 Monday ,21 August

South Asia floods claim more than 750 lives

GMT 19:06 2016 Saturday ,10 December

IOF Close Al-Nabi Saleh Village's Entrance

GMT 18:01 2017 Wednesday ,22 February

Abu Sayyaf ‘likely’ behind Vietnam freighter attack

GMT 06:41 2017 Sunday ,03 December

Hamas threatens 'intifada' over US moves on Jerusalem

GMT 16:17 2017 Saturday ,21 January

BMW 7 series crosses 5,000 unit mark in 2016

GMT 12:17 2016 Wednesday ,24 February

United Technologies nixes Honeywell merger

GMT 23:37 2017 Monday ,31 July

Saudi Arabia sanctions Hezbollah member

GMT 05:45 2018 Saturday ,29 September

Abdullah bin Zayed hosts official reception in New York

GMT 04:12 2018 Friday ,12 January

Saudi-led coalition says Yemen rebels threat

GMT 11:18 2014 Monday ,22 December

Richard Ward adds to The Chelsea Collection

GMT 21:20 2017 Monday ,06 February

UN resumes food air drops in Deir Ezzor

GMT 22:24 2017 Friday ,15 December

HRH Premier thanked by Cambodian counterpart

GMT 02:11 2017 Monday ,23 October

Oct24/Nov22

GMT 21:31 2017 Monday ,11 December

HM King congratulates Burkinabe President

GMT 20:22 2017 Monday ,23 October

EU deplores attack against police
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday