French PM Manuel Valls said he is willing to offer Barcelona a place in Ligue 1 next season "if the Champions League champions are kicked out of La Liga," according to Callum Davis of the London TELEGRAPH. The offer of "footballing asylum comes ahead of the prospect of a referendum to decide whether Catalonia -- of which Barcelona is the capital city -- remains a part of Spain." If the motion for Catalonian independence is voted through by the Spanish people, then Barcelona "could face expulsion from La Liga." Spanish Football League (LFP) President Javier Tebas warned the Barcelona board that "independence from Spain would force the league to omit the current champions from the league." In light of the threat to Barcelona's long-term place in the Spanish league, Valls "has offered his support to the Catalonian's campaign for independence, even going as far to offer the club a place in the French first division if the club are forced away from playing their domestic football in Spain." Speaking in the French political magazine Challenges, Valls "cited the example of French principality Monaco's participation" in Ligue 1 to validate Barcelona's potential inclusion. Valls: "Monaco play in Ligue 1, so why not Barcelona?" Valls' invitation "is no surprise given the fact that the 53-year old is a self-confessed die-hard Barca fan" (TELEGRAPH, 10/27).
