EMPTY STANDS TO WATCH BARCA FOOTBALL
Clashes over Catalonia independence vote lead to decision to play game at Camp Nou behind closed doors Supporters who travelled from Australia among those unable to see Messi score twice in win over Las Palmas
On paper it was a typical day. Barcelona made comfortable work of beating opponents Las Palmas 3-0 at Camp Nou and Lionel Messi was on the scoresheet twice.
But yesterday was anything but a typical day for the Primera Liga leaders, their supporters or the city itself.
The game was played behind closed doors to the public following clashes between police and voters in Catalonia over a disputed independence referendum.
Barca tried to have the game postponed, but their request was turned down by the league chiefs and the club announced 25 minutes before kick-off that the game would be played without any fans in attendance, with only 330 journalists, 30 pitchside stewards and four police officers being able to watch the action.
Sergio Busquets, who scored the opening goal in the victory, before Messi added the second and third, admitted that the atmosphere had been an odd one for he and his teammates to play in.
“It was very strange, of course it’s not normal but today’s events overshadowed the game,” he said.
“Today was a special day, we had to focus on the sporting part, which wasn’t very nice for us, and we were affected by everything as other things were on our minds.”
Barcelona had been reportedly in danger of receiving a points penalty from the league if they had refused to play the game, but club president Joan Bartomeu had felt playing the game without any supporters in attendance had been a good way of highlighting the political situation in Catalonia.
“We lament the lack of freedom expression that’s taken place in Catalonia today, which we take very seriously,” Bartomeu said in a statement.
“We are very affected by the situation and we decided, instead of cancelling the game, as we wanted, to play behind closed doors.
“We want to show the game being played but that things are not normal. It’s an exceptional situation. We give our support to those who have suffered from a lack freedom.
“We talked to the executives, the coaches and the players and we decided to play, but behind closed doors, as a protest. The important thing was not to lose the points”.
Bartomeu continued: “It wasn’t done for security reasons.
“The safety was fine. We did it because of the exceptional circumstances. In order that the whole world could see what’s happened here”.
The directors’ box remained empty but the game started, with Las Palmas wearing a special shirt featuring the flag of Spain. That would have been viewed as provocative by fans had there been any inside the stadium to see it.
It is not often that supporters are seen walking away from Camp Nou before the game has been played, but that was the scene once news the game would be played without fans in attendance was confirmed.
Many diehard fans stayed away in the first place: “I’ve been at the voting station since 5am,” Jordi Camps said.
“Today Spain has lost Catalonia forever. It is unbelievable what I have lived today. We will never forgive or forget.”
For those who had gone to the stadium hoping to get in, the result was only disappointment, especially for those who had travelled far.
By the gate 11, the Schnepf family waved their printed tickets in the air.
“What is happening?” asked Lisa Schnepf, a hotelier, to anyone who would listen. “We’ve come from Melbourne, Australia.”
Her son, Rudy, seven, wore a Barca shirt. “We’ve booked this trip three months ago. We fly back tomorrow.”
“We’ve just seen a young Argentinian boy crying his eyes out on the metro as his father explained that the game wouldn’t be happening,” says Gaz Boyd, who had set off from Manchester at 4am and was going to the Barca game.
A steward explained all to the Australians. “Absurd” was the word he used, “only the journalists can watch the game”.
The result maintains Barcelona’s impressive start to the season as they go into the international break with a five-point lead at the top of the table, but it is unlikely, years from now, that will be what yesterday was remembered for.