Spain's "official ban on displaying the Catalan independence flag" during Sunday’s Copa del Rey final was lifted by judicial order on Friday, "adding a last-minute twist to a tale of political controversy that has raged for days," according to Tobias Buck of the FINANCIAL TIMES. The ruling means "the so-called Estelada" was allowed into Madrid’s Vicente Calderón stadium on Sunday night, in the season-ending match between Barcelona and Sevilla. A "lone white star on a blue triangle, with alternating stripes of red and yellow, the Estelada is carried by thousands at pro-secession rallies in Catalonia." It has "also been embraced by sections" of Barcelona’s fan base, "often to the annoyance of rivals and to the exasperation of authorities." UEFA "has fined the Catalan club repeatedly" after Barça fans waved the Estelada at int'l matches (FT, 5/20).
PIQUE RIPS ABC: SPORT reported Barcelona's Gerard Piqué criticized Spanish newspaper ABC, which said on its cover, "The Esteladas beat the Copa in sport." Pique tweeted, "A newspaper should always be in favor of freedom of expression." He also retweeted a message from El Chirincirco TV. That message, which included historic ABC covers featuring images of Francisco Franco and Adolf Hitler, said, "At ABC they have never been VERY IN FAVOR of FREEDOM" (SPORT, 5/21).
BARCELONA SKIPS LFP CEREMONY: SPORT reported in a separate piece Barcelona "was one of the main absences during an LFP function recognizing clubs for good financial management." Club execs "refused to attend in a clear protest of remarks by La Liga President Javier Tebas," who criticized the presence of the Estelada at the Copa del Rey final (
SPORT, 5/21).
