Barcelona have cancelled plans to honour the club’s Spain World Cup-winning players before their first home match of the season following tensions surrounding the display of the Estelada, a symbol associated with Catalan independence.The club had planned a special ceremony for the eight Barcelona players who were part of Spain’s World Cup-winning squad. The group includes Joan Garcia, Eric Garcia, Pedri, Pau Cubarsi, Gavi, Rodri, Dani Olmo and Lamine Yamal—the highest number of players from any single club.The controversy intensified ahead of Thursday’s La Liga home match against Athletic Bilbao at Camp Nou, where around 10,000 small Estelada flags were distributed among supporters by a local organisation. Large flags and banners were also visible in the stands as fans raised them while the club anthem was played.Local media also reported that thousands of supporters marched around Camp Nou carrying Estelada flags before the match.The latest developments followed an incident last week before Barcelona’s match against Elche, when police confiscated an Estelada flag from a young Barcelona supporter. The supporter was reportedly detained after arguing with police officers and being struck with a baton.Barcelona expressed regret over the incident, saying the Estelada is a legally recognised symbol and that displaying it constitutes a legitimate exercise of freedom of expression. The club also criticised the way the supporter was detained and questioned the justification for the use of force.Explaining the decision to cancel the tribute, Barcelona president Joan Laporta said the timing was not appropriate.We cannot organise something like this at the moment. Football should bring people together. We cannot create conflict, Laporta said.Other Spanish clubs have previously held joint ceremonies with the Spanish Football Federation to honour the World Cup-winning players. Those events included displays of the World Cup trophy and appearances by Spain coach Luis de la Fuente.Barcelona, however, will not follow that sequence after the controversy surrounding the Estelada flag.
সহজ ও দ্রুত খবরের আপডেট পেতে আমাদের অ্যাপটি ইন্সটল করুন।
