La Liga goes on despite attacks

MADRID: Spain’s La Liga returned yesterday under the shadow of terrorist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils that left 14 killed and more than a hundred injured.

The league’s authorities still plan for all 10 La Liga fixtures to take place, including Barcelona’s match at home to Real Betis on Sunday.

All games across the top two divisions will be preceded by a minute’s silence.

Barca’s players held a minute’s silence before training yesterday, whilst the club published a picture of the players and coaching staff with the hashtag “TotsSomBarcelona” (“We are all Barcelona”) on its social media channels.

“As a mark of respect, the flags will fly at half-mast at the club’s facilities and the players from both teams will wear black armbands in all the club’s matches this weekend,” Barca added in a statement.

Barcelona’s other top flight side Espanyol are away to Sevilla today.

Ronaldo and his Real Madrid teammates also showed their solidarity with Barcelona as the two clubs’ fierce rivalry was forgotten at a tragic time.

“Dismayed at the news coming from Barcelona. All the support and solidarity (to) the family and friends of the victims,” Ronaldo wrote on Twitter.

That mood was reflected on the front pages of Spain’s sport newspapers yesterday.

“Today we can’t talk about sport,” splashed Madrid-based Marca.

Taking a line from Barca’s club anthem, Barcelona-based Sport’s headline ran “Tots units fem força” (together we are stronger).

The first league matches of the season took place yesterday night when Leganes welcomed Alaves in Madrid before Valencia hosted Las Palmas.

Newly-promoted Girona hosted Atletico Madrid in the first game in Catalonia since the attacks, just over 50 miles north-east of Barcelona today.

FIXTURES: Today — Celta Vigo v Real Sociedad, Girona v Atletico Madrid, Sevilla v Espanyol; Tomorrow — Athletic Bilbao v Getafe, Barcelona v Real Betis, Deportivo v Real Madrid; Monday — Levante v Villarreal, Malaga v Eibar.