Barcelona will not be following their LaLiga rivals with a tribute for their World Cup winning Spaniards.
The World Cup trophy has been on tour around LaLiga stadiums, honouring the players who won Spain’s second star in New York.
Athletic Bilbao were the last to welcome it to San Mames, and it will also make stops at the stadia of each of the teams that have players from the winning squad.
However, Barcelona will not be taking part, president Joan Laporta has announced.
Barca will instead celebrate the Estelada flag which is used for the pro-Catalan independence movement.
He said: “What will happen is that next Thursday night, at the match against Athletic Club de Bilbao, there will be an act of glorification of the Estelada.
“The Estelada, as you know, represents the way of thinking of many Barca fans and Catalans.
“Spain defines itself as a social and democratic state under the rule of law, in which freedom of expression is one of the fundamental rights enshrined in the Spanish Constitution.
“And the Estelada, in this sense, falls within the framework of freedom of expression.”
It should be noted that Barcelona had seven players in Spain’s World Cup squad, and a eighth has joined in the shape of Rodri.
Joan Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo and Eric Garcia were born in Catalunya, Pedri, Gavi and Rodri were not.
Laporta went on to cite an incident where there was allegedly police violence against fans for displaying the flag before the last match against Elche.
He continued: “At FC Barcelona, we reject and condemn the disproportionate and violent actions of the National Police officers who assaulted a Barca member for carrying the Estelada flag before the Elche match.
“Having said that, we offered our support to the member, the young man, and his family to help them in any way necessary.
“What we at Barca ask and hope is that, once the facts have been reconfirmed—and the images are terrifying and very clear—those responsible will receive the appropriate punishment and sanctions.
“The aim is very clear: we hope and wish that, with the corresponding punishment and with this celebration of the Estelada that we will witness at the Camp Nou Spotify Arena this Thursday, this will finally ensure that Barca fans and Catalans can carry the Estelada without fear of endangering their physical safety, and that the Estelada will cease to be stigmatized by the State’s security and law enforcement agencies.”
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