Luis de la Fuente has responded after both Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona rejected celebrations for Spain’s World Cup winners.
The World Cup trophy has been touring stadiums of the winners, and one of its first locations was Athletic’s San Mames.
Athletic lost to Sevilla, and De la Fuente played for both sides, so the World Cup-winning coach was naturally in attendence.
However, as Aymeric Laporte, Unai Simon and Nico Williams paraded it, there were a series of boos and anti-nationalist chants.
Then, days later, Barcelona president Joan Laporta rejected the chance for their eight World Cup winners to celebrate the trophy with the Camp Nou.
De la Fuente loses respect for Athletic and Barca
Now responding, De la Fuente said: “I felt a great sense of pity, I’ll say that clearly.
“I was at Athletic for 18 years, I’ve supported them since I was a child, and I consider them a fundamental asset.
“Here, they taught me that there’s one thing you can never lose: respect.
“If we all start from a foundation of respect, I’m sure that coexistence will be absolutely easy and feasible.”
De la Fuente didn’t comment on Barcelona and Laporta’s decision to reject the celebrations in favour of a display of the Estelada flag which is often used by Catalan sepratists.
Laporta shocked many with the call, but tried to justify it by citing a fan who was allegedly attacked by police for displaying the flag a week earlier.
Laporta explains World Cup celebration snub
He said: “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 stigmatised by the State’s security and law enforcement agencies.”
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