Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu "defended his decision" to play Sunday's match against Las Palmas at the Camp Nou behind closed doors, saying that images of the empty stadium seen across the world "sent a message," according to Samuel Marsden of ESPN.com. Bartomeu said that the images of the game would highlight the "inadmissible situation going on around Catalonia." Bartomeu said in a statement, "We decided that we had to take some kind of measure to show our indignation to the world. There were many matters at stake and we discussed these with the different departments of the club: directors, executives, coaches and players. I finally decided that we would play the game, but as an exceptional measure, behind closed doors. We perfectly understand that many of our members and fans would have preferred the option of calling off the match. That is why I must say that this was one of the most difficult decisions that I have ever had to make as Barca president."Former President Joan Laporta criticized the decision to the play the game, "as did former coach Pep Guardiola." Bartomeu said of the resignations of VP Carles Vilarrubí and Jordi Monés, the head of the Barça Innovation Hub, "We thank both of them for their dedication during all their years of service." Barça "joined a Catalonia-wide strike on Tuesday and will continue to defend the people's right to self-determination." The subject of where Barcelona would play "in the case of an independent Catalonia had been a talking point throughout the build-up to Sunday's referendum." Catalan Minister of Sport Gerard Figueras had said that the club "could continue in the Spanish league" or could move to a nearby country, "like Italy, France or the Premier League." But Bartomeu said that it is "far from certain" where the club will play "if secession is achieved." He said, "It's a question which only comes up in the case of an independent Catalonia and we are not there yet" (
ESPN.com, 10/2).
HEADLINE NEWS: Press from around the world covered the Barcelona-Las Palmas game. Publications that covered the news and the protests included the London Guardian, the N.Y. Times, Al Jazeera, Die Welt, La Repubblica, Le Monde, the London Telegraph and Globoesporte. During the game, Google searches for the term "Camp Nou" increased by 1,300%. On Twitter, the name of the stadium became a trending topic around the world, second only to the hashtag #CatalanReferendum (Barcelona).
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Source: Barcelona
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GETTING POLITICAL: REUTERS reported Catalonia-based La Liga sides Girona and Espanyol, like Barcelona, "decided to join the general strike in Catalonia on Tuesday." The strike, called by more than 40 unions and associations in the region under umbrella organization Table for Democracy, "is due to police forcefully attempting to stop Catalonia's independence referendum on Sunday." More than 840 people "needed medical assistance following clashes with riot police" (
REUTERS, 10/2).
LAST-MINUTE DECISION: In Madrid, Luis F. Rojo reported the decision to play the game behind closed doors "was taken in the dressing room shortly before the match began" in a meeting between Bartomeu and the squad. Bartomeu told the players, "If we lose the league for those six points, no one will remember the suspension of this game, only that we are not champions." Most of the players "were happy to play," including captain Andrés Iniesta, who said, "Do not let it be us who made the decision, it's a club thing." On the other side "was the small group" including Sergi Roberto, which was led by Gerard Piqué. They were "outvoted as most of the staff and the president wanted to play," though Lionel Messi did not "say anything" (MARCA, 10/2). The AFP reported Piqué's "tears of sadness and the vast empty stands as his team reluctantly played were two of the defining images of a violence-scarred independence referendum" in Catalonia. He said after the game, with tears in his eyes, "I am very proud of Catalonia and all its people. Despite how much they are incited, and despite how much they (the Spanish authorities and security forces) want them to fall into the trap, they have demonstrated peacefully and sang loud and clear." Piqué described the match as the "worst professional experience" of his career (AFP, 10/2).
GASOLS, NADAL WEIGH IN: In Madrid, Robert Álvarez reported a number of athletes including Spanish NBA players Marc and Pau Gasol addressed the independence referendum. Pau tweeted, "Did it have to come to this? Was violence necessary?"
Marc tweeted, "Common sense and humanity above everything. They can't respond with violence for peacefully expressing your will" (
EL PAÍS, 10/1).
The EFE reported Rafael Nadal said, "Seeing society in general, not just Catalonia, so radicalized surprises me and at the same time disappoints me." He added, "Personally, it makes me want to cry when I see a country where we have been able to coexist and be a good example for the world reach the situation that was reached yesterday. I believe that the image that we have transmitted is negative" (
EFE, 10/2).
