The Scotsman

Barca play in empty Nou Camp after Spanish FA rejects postponeme­nt request

- By MASSIMO MARZOCCHI

Barcelona staged their Laliga match against Las Palmas behind closed doors as a protest while clashes sparked by the Catalan independen­ce referendum occurred nearby.

The club had asked the Spanish football authoritie­s to postpone the fixture, citing the unusual circumstan­ces.

But when Barcelona’s request was rejected by the Madrid-based Liga de Futbol Profesiona­l, the club took the remarkable step of playing the top-flight fixture in an empty Nou Camp – winning 3-0 thanks to a goal shortly after the break from Sergio Busquets and a couple of well-taken finishes by Lionel Messi.

Attempts to shut down the polls by Spain’s Guardia Civil led to violent scenes described by Catalonia president Carles Puigdemont as “unwarrante­d, irrational and irresponsi­ble”.

Amid rising tensions in Barcelona, the two clubs looked like stoking the match into a political occasion, as Las Palmas had the Spanish flag embroidere­d prominentl­y on to their match shirts to state their support for a united country.

Given the chaotic events occurring elsewhere in the city, Barcelona felt it was wrong to play a football match.

“We deeply regret all that is happening today in Catalonia. It saddens us and we are all affected by it,” club president Josep Maria Bartomeu said.

“Barca tried to get the game postponed. It is not the ideal situation, it’s an exceptiona­l situation.

“We have not been able to find a way to postpone it. From there, all together, directors, executives and players met and we decided, exceptiona­lly, to play the game behind closed doors.”

Bartomeu added that the club were told they would lose six points – “three from today and three as a penalty” – if they refused to play the game.

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