An empty Camp Nou: Barça played Las Palmas without fans in 2017

An empty Camp Nou: Barça played Las Palmas without fans in 2017

El Barça - Las Palmas del 1 de octubre de 2017 se jugó en un ambiente desangelado
El Barça - Las Palmas del 1 de octubre de 2017 se jugó en un ambiente desangelado | sport

The Catalan club could play behind closed doors against Napoli next week

An empty Camp Nou is back on the menu just two-and-a-half-years after the last time Barcelona played a match behind closed doors. 

On Oct. 1, 2017, Barça hosted Las Palmas without supporters, winning the La Liga game 3-0, although that wasn't the most important thing on the day. 

The circumstances this time are very different. That decision was made on political and social grounds and this time it will be taken for public health reasons. 

But the outcome will be the same: a giant stadium, with a capacity for 99,354 supporters, will be left without it's soul and the most important thing in football, the fans. 

The board of directors, led by Josep Maria Bartomeu, decided to play the game against Las Palmas without fans after a number of very tense hours. 

They made that decision because of the images that had travelled around the world on the morning of the game of police violence during Catalonia's independence referendum. 

Barça wanted to suspend the game but La Liga would not allow itt and it would have led to a points deduction. The players were also consulted and Bartomeu took a difficult decision. 

He explained ot Barça TV: "The club has always defended freedom of expression, democracy and the right to decide. We want to support those that are suffering. 

"We tried to suspend the game but for exceptional reasons it was not possible. We have all met, also the players, and we decided to play behind closed doors. An empty Camp Nou is a message for the entire world."  

The decision, however, created internal fractions and the vice president, Carles Vilarrubi, and the vocal Jordi Mones both resigned as they felt the game should not have gone ahead. 

The game 

Barça came through the occasion. They struggled to adapt to their quiet surroundings but eased through the gears after the break with a goal from Sergio Busquets and a Lionel Messi brace. 

The impact of the day's events could be seen in the mixed zone after the match, when Gerard Pique was very emotional. 

"I am and I feel Catalan," he said. "Today more than ever, I feel proud of the people of Catalonia because they have behaved wonderfully. It's been six or seven years of the people protesting without any type of violence. We just want to vote. Today's events have been seen across the world." 

Pique left for home with tears in his eyes. 

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