Barça considers suspending the tribute to the world champions with Spain
The incidents in Elche with a Barça fan have led to pressure from various Barça fan clubs and Catalan entities
BarcelonaThe incidents with a fan in Elche on Sunday during Barça's league debut have generated pressure from the Culer fanbase. Several Blaugrana supporters' clubs and Catalan entities have called for a boycott of the tribute to the eight world champions –Joan Garcia, Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsí, Gavi, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, and Rodri– which was to take place this Thursday before the Barça - Athletic Club match. According to what ARA has learned, Barça's board of directors has doubts about whether or not to proceed with this act and a definitive decision is expected to be made this Wednesday.
The Catalan National Assembly has called on people to gather at the Josep Munté Gardens, in front of access 15 of Camp Nou, on Thursday at 8:15 p.m. to show their rejection of the tribute. Furthermore, the organization has announced that it will distribute 10,000 estelades (Catalan flags) outside the stadium to fill the stands. "The Spanish and colonizing police beat up young independentists and confiscate estelades, while we hear chants of 'Puta Catalunya' in the stadiums," they say in a tweet, referring to what was heard at the Metropolitano on Sunday, when part of the Atlético fans insulted Barça and Catalonia.
On the other hand, the Barcelona supporters' club Sang Culé Cor Català had already called on August 19 – before the incidents in Elche occurred – to bring the estelada to the Camp Nou and shout "Independence, Catalan national teams!" at the time of the tribute. Other Barça fan groups, such as Nostra Ensenya and Almogàvers, condemned the Police's "disproportionate and unjustified" actions but have not announced any protest in the run-up to the match. They did, however, demand "measures to put an end to this dynamic and ensure that sporting trips are carried out with scrupulous respect for fundamental rights and the integrity of all people".
Whistle at San Mamés
The tribute events for the world champions with Spain are being held in various stadiums across Spain, and this Wednesday it will be at the Santiago Bernabéu, where Marc Cucurella (Real Madrid) and Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad) will be present. In addition, the Barcelona players who traveled to Elche on Sunday – Pedri, Lamine Yamal, Eric Garcia, Gavi, Joan Garcia, Dani Olmo, and Pau Cubarsí – received a commemorative plaque from the Elche club for the second star, achieved in July.
On the other hand, at San Mamés, the fans jeered the three Athletic Club World Cup players –Unai Simon, Nico Williams, and Laporte– and sang songs in favor of the Basque national team. This showed the dissatisfaction of the Bilbao team's followers with the act.