Barcelona cancels tribute for Spanish world champions

FC Barcelona has officially cancelled plans to honor the eight world champions in its squad. This decision was made against the backdrop of a tense political situation between Catalonia and the Spanish central government, as well as clashes between fans and law enforcement. According to Goal.com, the club was forced to call off the ceremony scheduled before their La Liga match against Athletic Bilbao at their home stadium. This is reported by Goal.com reporting.

It is known that eight players from Barcelona won the world champion title as part of the Spanish national team at the World Cup held in New Jersey last month. Other leading teams in the Spanish league had already held ceremonial tributes for their winning players during their first home matches of the season. However, the Catalan club decided against holding the event due to intense protests in the country.

Political tensions and police action

The situation escalated following events before the match against Elche last Sunday, which ended in a 5-0 victory. Public outrage was sparked by the use of force by law enforcement against visiting Barcelona fans, including beatings and the confiscation of Estelada flags, which symbolize Catalan independence. These acts of violence forced the club's management to immediately change their pre-match plans.

During a press conference on Wednesday, club president Joan Laporta explained the changes, emphasizing that holding such a celebratory event in the current socio-political climate would be illogical. According to him, the Royal Spanish Football Federation understands the club's decision.

Joan Laporta's sharp statement

Joan Laporta firmly defended the fans' right to display the Estelada flag, stating that football should unite society rather than create conflict. In his view, this symbol represents the worldview of many Barcelona fans and Catalans and is a part of freedom of speech.

The club president strongly condemned the police actions from the past weekend and demanded that those responsible be held accountable. Laporta stated that the disproportionate use of force against Barcelona fans is unacceptable and demanded that strict measures be taken regarding all incidents.